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The Complete Diaries of 

THEODOR HERZL 


Edited by 

Raphael Patai 

Translated by 

HARRY ZOI1N 

VOLUME II 


New York 


HERZL PRESS 
AND 

THOMAS YOSELOFK 


London 


© i960 by The Theodor Henl Foundation. Inc. 

Library ol Congress Catalog Card Number: 60-8594 

Thomas Yoseloff. Publisher 
11 East 36th Street 
New York 16. N. Y. 

Thomas Yoselof! Ltd. 

113 New Bond Street 
London W. 1, England 


Printed in the United States of America 








Contents 

Volume II 


Book Four 

Page 

July **, 1896-June 10, 1897 

433 

Bo )k Five 


June 11, 1897-October 5, 1898 


Book Six 


October 5, 1898- April 11, 1899 

681 





Book Four 
Begun on July 21, 1896 
On the way to Carlsbad 






July 22, Carlsbad 

Newlinski was waiting for me with the following information: 
i) The Prince of Bulgaria will receive me here, 
t) The Turkish ambassador in Vienna categorically denies 
the news about Jewish colonists being persecuted in Palestine. 
3) Jewish circles are intriguing against me in Yildiz Kiosk. 

I. for my part, told him about my trip. I said I seemed to my- 
self like an officer who goes into battle with raw recruits and has 
to stand behind them with a gun to keep them from running 
away. 

I called the attitude of Edmond Rothschild in particular dis- 
turbing, because the entire combination now depended on him. 
However, I said, it was by no means a foregone conclusion that 
in the end he would not go along with us after all. 

Newlinski said that this news discouraged him for the first 
time in this matter. He had not know'n that my troops were that 
bad. 


July 22, Carlsbad 

I am telegraphing to Edmond Rothschild:* 

The Turkish ambassador at Vienna writes: 

“You can deny categorically the false news item, evidently 
fabricated with malicious intent, that the Turkish authorities 
have expelled existing Jewish colonists or refused to admit new 
ones." However. I have learned that someone has tried to in- 
trigue against me at Yildiz Kiosk. If it was one of your overieal- 
ous underlings, he has made you seriously responsible. I hope 
this is not so; we must understand each other. 

Theodor Hen I 
Hotel Enhenog Karl 

• In French in (he original. 

455 


436 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

July 2 st 

This morning I had breakfast with Newlinski in the Posthof 
garden. Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria and his party occupied! I 
table not far from ours. I noticed that 1 was being {jointed out 
to him. Then he sent over Fiirth who had previously said that it 
was doubtful whether the Prince would receive me today at all. 
Fiirth told me the Prince would talk to me in the arbor-walk 
later. 

We now watched for his rising. When he left, Newlinski, 
Fiirth, and I hurried after him. 

He was waiting behind some shrubbery. Ten steps away from 
him I took off my hat, and he advanced two pates toward me. 
There actually was no introduction. He gave me his hand, and 
I immediately began to present the Jewish cause. We walked up 
and down as 1 talked. His retinue kept at a respectful distance. 
Occasionally, visitors to the spa would gape at us. At one point 
the Prince impatiently stamped his foot when two people had 
stopped nearby and were listening, and he made a motion %uth 
his umbrella as if to strike, saying, "It is scandalous the way one 
is bothered here. And the Christians arc even worse than the 
Jews." 

(Those two weTe obviously Jews.) 

I expounded my project for him with laconic brevity. He wai 
quickly gripped. "It is a magnificent idea.” he said; "no one has 
ever talked to me about the Jewish Question this way. But I 
have often thought about what you say. Actually, I ** 
raised by Jews. I spent my youth with Baron Hirvh. So I know 
the whole background; people often reproach me for being half 
a Jew. Your idea has my full sympathy — but what can I do h* 
it?" 

"I should like to ask Your Royal Highness to prepare the 
Czar for my plan and. if possible, to obtain an audience for roe. 

"That is very difficult,” he said doubtfully; "it i» a matier 
which involves religion. As it is, I don’t stand in well with the 
orthodox. There arc delicate matters in that area in which I 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 437 

often have to subordinate my convictions to political necessity." 

As he said this, he drew himself up and looked down at me in 
a truly grand manner with his head thrown back. But most of 
the time he stood in front of me, leaning on his umbrella and 
bending slightly forward. When I took one step back so as to 
stand more respectfully, he immediately moved forward, even 
stepped on my foot, and said: "Pardon me!" 

This way I always saw his fine, slightly obese face with the 
pointed beard, the long nose, and the intelligent, bright eyes 
close before me. 

He stated repeatedly that he was a friend of the Jews, and was 
pleased when I told him that the Sultan and the Grand Duke 
of Baden were, loo. 

"The Grand Duke," I exclaimed, "is the Good Old King out 
of a fairy-tale. He is only afraid that his participation in my plan 
could be considered anti-Semitic. It will therefore be my task to 
explain to the world, particularly to the Jews, that it is not a 
question of expulsion, but an act of kindness on the pan of the 
potentates.” 

He nodded his satisfaction and promised me his full suppon, 
on condition that this be kept secret. In Russia, he said, at most. 
Grand Duke Wladimir might be interested in the matter. All 
others speak of the Jews as though they were not human. I 
should send him, the Prince, my book in German. Russian, and 
English. 

He said he would disseminate it. He also gave me permission 
to report to him from time to time how the project was going. 

He dismissed me veTy benevolently; and later Newlinski told 
me that he had expressly promised his participation in our pro- 
ject and that I could certainly count on him. 

July *t 

Went walking with Newlinski in the afternoon. We discussed 
our next move. Bismarck's cooperation could not be counted on 
for the time being Bismarck had told Sidney Whitman he al- 


438 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR h ER2l 

ready knew ray book; Chrysander, his secretary, had told bin 
the contents. Bismarck regards my draft as melancholy Untan 
Later Whitman went to Herbert Bismarck and asked him to iiv 
fluent c the old Prince. Herbert promised to do so. 

(Newlinski also read me the letter which Bmnarck addressed 
to the Sultan about the Cretan, Armenian, and Syrian incident! 
Very interesting. Bismarck advises him not to be afraid of Eng. 
land, whose power is dissipated all over the world, and to *ori 
with Russia. All the latter wanted was the passage of warships 
through the Bosporus. Bismarck considers the Sultan’s preient 
situation as not dangerous, and speaks in a very scornful toot 
about the Cretans.) 

Since we cannot count on Bismarck now, we must have the 
invitation to the Jews suggested to the Sultan from some other 
quarter. 

To counter the Jewish intrigues — it is incredible — in Yildh 
Kiosk, we decided on the following: Newlinski is going to vnte 
to Izzet that the Jews who have been agitating against me mar 
have no personal interests — although this, too. would be coo- 
ceivable — but do have two kinds of disinterested misgivings. In 
the first place, they are afraid that anti-Semitism would be in- 
tensified in their present places of residence if the call to migrate 
were issued to the Jews. In the second place, they are worried tint 
we would have an unmanageable mass influx of penniless Jew 
on our hands in Palestine. For these reasons, the Jewish origi- 
nators of these intrigues may want to thwart our project fro® 
the stan. However, Izzet should not let them rob him of hu con- 
fidence in me. 

Newlinski feels that right now it would still be possible, ev« 
easily possible, to ruin the whole thing at Yildiz Kiosk. If ®T 
opponents knew how matters stand at present, they could do » 
with ease. This makes me reflect that it is evidence of Newlinski* 
decency and his confidence in me if he does not go over to Bf 
wealthy opponents. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 439 


July 24, Cmunden 

In my rude telegram to Edmond Rothschild there was a gram- 
matical error: “si ce serait [if it were]" instead of “si c'Stait [if 
it was.]” 


• • • 

From Rothschild's negative attitude I must salvage everything 
possible. In particular, his No must aid me to get a Yes from the 
German Kaiser. 

Sent Newlinski 500 francs for Sidney Whitman's unsuccessful 
trip. 

The thought keeps recurring how little gratitude the Jews will 
show me for the giant service 1 am performing them. If today I 
simply dropped the project, it would surely remain undone and 
would not materialize for decades — and even then only through 
the utilization of my ideas. 

Letter to Zadoc Kahn, Aussee, July 26, 1896: 

Reverend Sir: 

1 have regretted very, very much that you had left Paris before 
I arrived. It is our cause which may have suffered the greatest 
harm from this, for it was an important moment. Through seri- 
ous, good counsel you might have been able to bring about a 
different turn. 

I am writing you in German, which you do understand, be- 
cause I write French too slowly and poorly. As it is, the Jewish 
cause is making gTeat claim on my energies, what with the grow- 
ing extent of the movement. 

Here, in brief and in the strictest confidence, are the facts. I 
have been to Constantinople and there have obtained results 
which actually surprised even myself. The Sultan took cognizance 
of my plan "Palestine for the Jews!”; and even though he resists 
the idea of a simple sale, he did treat me with distinction in vari- 
ous ways and gave me to understand that the deal could be made 



440 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR7 L 

if a suitable formula is found. II s’agit de sauver In apparrnc f 
is a matter of saving face]. From the Sultan's circ le the follow 
proposition was advanced: The Sultan could ceremoniously'^ 
vite the Jews to return to their historic homeland, to establidi 
themselves there autonomously as vassals of the Turkish Empire 
and in return pay him a tribute (on the basis of which he 
could then raise a loan). 

With this result I went to [.ondon, where Sir S. Montagu and 
others promised me their adherence on three conditions: i) the 
consent of the Great Powers, t) the accession of the Hirsch Fund 
3) the accession of Edmond Rothschild. 

The first condition I hope to be able to meet because two 
reigning princes have already held out the prospect of their aid 
to me. So I went to Paris and spoke with Edmond Rothschild. 
I told him as well as the other gentlemen clearly what it was all 
about. I requested that he join the cause conditionally, it., he 
should participate in it only when it was signed, sealed, and d t- 
livered. I told him that he need not appear, that I would arrange 
everything with the Sultan and the other governments. But at 
soon as the plan was to be put into effect, he as well as Montagu 
and the others should take over from me. So that not even the 
shadow of a doubt could rest upon me that I want to unite all 
our forces only in order to snatch the leadership for myself. I 
pledged myself to withdraw completely as soon as this committee 
for action has been formed. In return for these gentlemen's word 
of honor to make my goal their goal I wanted to give my word of 
honor henceforth not to interfere in anything. Then they could 
direct the movement to the best of their knowledge and con- 
science, since I had confidence in thc»se who have been friends of 
Zion up to now. They could, above all, work in secret, and at ant 
given time make public only as much as would be necessary— u* 
short, they could organize and channel the great movement sen- 
sibly. 

I believe that this was an honest proposal which attested to nit 
good intentions and my absolute selflessness, and that I did not 
thereby make any immoderate demand. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 441 

Unfortunately, Edmond R. would not or could not understand 
me. He replied that even if all diplomatic premises were correct 
and if we obtained Palestine, he considered the matter imprac- 
ticable, because the masses of the poor Jews would swarm into 
Palestine in an unmanageable fashion, and it would be impossible 
to give them employment or sustenance there. 

You have read my pamphlet about the Jewish State. You know 
in what great — even superfluous — detail I described the organiza- 
tion of the masses which is to precede the migration. It is pos- 
sible to reject my detailed proposals; but in any case, the princi- 
ple that the emigrants must be organized when they depart and 
not just when they arrive is a workable one. No one will be en- 
rolled without the proper papers — passport, etc. These are sim- 
ple problems of administration and pose no greater problem 
than other tasks of a state. 

If, then, this is a disinterested reservation on Edmond Roth- 
schild’s part, it ought to be possible to get at it with rational ar- 
guments, and 1 beg you — I may fairly say — in the name of our 
unhappy brethren to place all your talents and your recognized 
authority at the service of this cause. 

At the same time I am undertaking to demonstrate practically 
that our masses can be organized by recommending to my friends 
in all countries to form the cadres for a possible migration. I be- 
lieve that in just a few months, possibly by spring, the nationalist 
Jews in all countries will be tightly organized. 

The movement will be continued, and it will grow dramati- 
cally — let no one deceive himself on that score. Despite the bitter 
pills I am given to swallow and the obstacles that are placed in 
my path. I am conducting this movement as a prudent man who 
is at all times conscious of his tremendous responsibility. I am 
certainly not inciting the masses; but can I present tumultuous 
misunderstandings if it can happen that whole chapters of my 
exposition are overlooked? 

By this refusal Edmond Rothschild is bringing on the very 
calamity that he seeks to avert. Added to this is the incalculable 
factor of how the nations among whom we are dispersed will re- 


442 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR IIF.R2L 

act to this movement if we are obliged to conduct it through 
public agitation instead of directing it from the top with all 
quiet and order. 

I have demonstrated my good intentions; I have spared no 
pains or personal sacrifice. My convience is at ease. People 
should understand what storms of indignation will be aroused 
among the penniless Jews and among all non-Jews if it becomes 
known some day that in my campaign of rescue 1 was left in the 
lurch by those who had the power and the duty to help me. 1 
am an opponent of the House of Rothschild, because 1 regard it 
as a national misfortune of the Jews. As for the only one who has 
aroused sympathy through his past behavior, Edmond Rothschild 
— a man whom I regarded, and still regard, as a decent, good 
Jew — should he refuse to contribute to our national salvation? 
And it is not any sort of material sacrifice that is being asked of 
him. He is not called upon to part with a penny, lift a hand, or 
appear at all. All he has to do is accept the completed project; 
until diplomatic arrangements are made he can remain entirely 
under cover. If he does not agree to this — he, upon whom de- 
pends the joining of the Londoners and of the Hirtch Fund, 
which means: everything — then a cry of anger will sweep the 
world. It may seem unfair to him that his philanthropic experi- 
ments in Palestine should now have confronted him with such 
an eventuality. Well, it simply was no game, no pastime, but a 
terribly serious matter upon which he embarked with his Pales- 
tine colonization. 

Explain this to him, I beg of you. I may have been too clumsy 
or too impatient. But the cause must not suffer for my blunders. 

Your office and your love for the cause make it your duty to 
participate to the best of your ability. Make it your special coo- 
ccm to prevent Edmond Rothsc hild from forming a wrong con- 
ception of my intentions. Convince him that I desire what is 
good and right. 

We now have an official statement that the Turkish authori- 
ties neither expelled the resident Jewish colonists nor turned 
back the new arrivals. The Turkish ambassador at Vienna writes 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 443 

“Vous pouvez dimentir catfgoriqucmcnt cette nouvelle inventie 
dans un but &vident de malveillance [You can categorically 
deny this item which was invented with an obviously malevolent 
intent]." 

I wired Edmond Rothschild this. At the same time I learned 
something absolutely monstrous from the palace at Constanti- 
nople where I have devoted friends — namely, that there are 
intrigues against me on the part of Jews. It sounds so wild that I 
can scarcely believe it. Perhaps the people in Yildiz Kiosk took 
too seriously the malicious remark dropped by some Jew who 
does not have as much respect for me as is my due in the opinion 
of the l urks. But by such actions— whether they be committed 
out of thoughtlessness or with malice aforethought— a man can 
incur an extremely serious responsibility. And it is getting time 
for us to sort out and fix responsibilities clearly. 

The Jewish national movement is as serious as — nay, much 
more serious than— anti-Semitism. People should understand this 
in good time. 

Up to now the destitute Jews have been the anvil, and the 
anti-Semites the hammer. Woe to those who get caught between 
the hammer and the anvil! 

If you reply to me immediately, your letter will still reach me 
here. Beginning August * I shall be in Vienna again, c/o Seue 
Freie Prrsse. 

With sincere respect. 

Yours 
Th. Herzl. 

Mailed on July *7. 


• • • 


Letters sent on Julv *7: 


Herbst 1 

Bierer \ S® 6 * (organizing, in view of E.R.'s objection) 


B. Lazare, Paris (to take care of a French edition; I waive my 
claims to the expenses I incurred on the trans- 
lation). 


444 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF I HI ODOR III R/L 

I de Haas. London (organizing, with Rabbi now id, Ish-Kishor). 
Schnirer, Vienna (invitation to Kokcsrh. Mintz to discuss or- 
ganizing). 

All the above with mention of E.R.’s refusal. 

Hechler, Vienna (announcing my visit). 

Klatschko, Vienna (pamphlet in Russian). 


July jo, Aussee 

Hechler telegraphs from Tegemsec: 

Am at Tegernsee. Villa Fischer, made speeches in the castle 
and at homes of important people. Everybody enthusiastic. 

"Can you come immediately to lend dignity? I want to leave 
here about Saturday — if possible. 

Hechler. 

I am answering him that I could hardly get away bee ausc I 
have to go to Vienna within the next few days. At any rate. I 
would first like to know to whom he made speeches and who 
wished to see me. 

If it is Empress Elizabeth. I’ll go. 

• • • 

Letter to the Grand Duke of Baden: 


Aussee, August i, 1896 

Your Royal Highness: 

I did not want to write from France, because the post offices 
there are suspected of prying, and a letter to a German sovereign 
would surely have attracted attention. Then, too, I was traveling 
about restlessly for some time. That is why I can only now com- 
ply with your kind invitation to give you my report on the Jew- 
ish cause in writing. 

I have been to Constantinople and explored the ground there. 
H.M. the Sultan took cognizance of my proposal, and even 
though he spoke out in no uncertain terms against the cession 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 445 

of Palestine to the Jews as an independent state, he still did not 
discourage me completely. In fact, he even treated me with dis- 
tinction in various ways, and it was indicated to me indirectly 
that the transaction could perhaps be made if the proper formula 
were found. Then the idea was proposed from the Sultan’s circle 
to permit the Jews to establish a vassal state in Palestine. Their 
immigration was to be favored by the granting of autonomy, and 
they would have to pay an annual tribute to the suzerain. 

When I had the honor to present the matter at Karlsruhe, 
Your Royal Highness likewise expressed yourself in favor of a 
gradual immigration into Palestine. 

With the results attained in Constantinople I went to London. 
Our financ iers there are prepared to go through with this way of 
establishing a state for the Jews; but they are making conditions 
— first of all, the obvious one that the Powers approve of the 
whole thing. 

Then, that Edmond Rothschild of Paris join in. 

I have spoken with this Edmond Rothschild. He is afraid. He 
thinks that we would not be able to organize, employ, or feed 
the poor people who are to migrate there. But these are all ad- 
ministrative problems, no harder and no easier than other tasks 
of a state. 

I do not wish to repeat here all the things that I explained to 
him. Suffice it to say that he does not understand. Now, it would 
really be a crying shame if the development of this serious, gTeat, 
philanthropic plan were to be thwarted by the opposition of a 
single person of insufficient intelligence. Can this be the will of 
God? 

This is the way matters stand at the moment. One way out of 
the present difficulties would lie to make the course of events 
public and to break the will of this recalcitrant man through 
agitation. But I would not want to carry on the movement 
demagogically. 

The gradual exodus of the Jews in good order, the way I in- 
tend it, can only be directed from the top. Thai is why I cling 
to the hope that the truly high-minded sovereigns of Europe will 


446 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER 7 .L 

bestow their gracious protection on the cause. 1 hen we could 
easily pass over the refusal of individual wealthy Jews. 

It would be of inestimable value to our future course if His 
Majesty the German Kaiser allowed me to present the plan to 
him. 

Some steps have already been taken with a view to my recep- 
tion by His Majesty the Emperor of Russia. 

Your Royal Highness has been the first ruler who generously 
took an interest in this movement, and I shall never forget the 
royally unpretentious words with which this interest was ex- 
pressed. I venture to make reference to the favor of that audience 
if I now ask Your Royal Highness point-blank to induce His 
Majesty the German Kaiser to give me a hearing. 

Today this solution of the ancient Jewish Question exists in 
embryonic form. Many people, Gentiles as well as Jews, would 
breathe a sigh of relief. A social difficulty of a serious nature 
could be eliminated. It would be a blessed and glorious deed 
which would be bound to affect far-distant times. 

But if we find no help, the seed may perish. 

I remain Your Royal Highness' respectful and grateful servant 

Dr. Theodor Hen I 

(Address: Thalhof, Reichenau bei Payerbach, Lower Austria.) 

August i, Aussee 

Hechler telegraphs from Tegcmsee: "Today fifth and last 
presentation. Leaving today or tomorrow morning. Hechler." 

This means, then, that the important people mentioned in his 
first wire are not issuing a direct invitation to me. 

Or did he merely want me to come on a chance? In any case, 
I did well not to start off right away. 


August i 

The effectiveness of my movement shows up first in begging- 
letters. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 447 


August i 

At the beginning of July a letter came from Wolffsohn of 
Cologne which I only received here. At the Berlin Zionist Con- 
vention there was violent opposition to me. Wolffsohn was the 
only one to stick by me, and he had trouble preventing the Zion- 
ists from taking a public stand against me. Nevertheless, Hildes- 
heimer and Bambus were willing to meet with me in Cologne, 
but I missed this opportunity. 

I am answering Wolffsohn that hostile acts on the part of the 
Zionists could well cause me to drop the whole matter. I am 
informing him of Edmond Rothschild's refusal and telling him 
that the need for an organization in which he, too, would have 
a function, is developing. Furthermore, I am willing to get to- 
gether with the Berlin Zionists. We would shortly hold a con- 
ference in Vienna at which the convening of a general Zionist 
assembly is to be discussed. 


August i 

A good letter from Zadoc Kahn at Weggis. He proposes a 
secret conference of representatives of the largest Jewish com- 
munities, since no individual has the authority to get a matter 
of such immeasurable importance rolling all by himself. There- 
fore, there ought to be a debate with all the pros and cons. For 
the rest, right after his return to Paris (between the toth and 
the 15th of August) he wants to have a serious talk "avec qui de 
droit (with the proper person]" — with Edmond Rothschild, then? 
— but he does not seem to expect much from it. 

I accept the proposal for a secret conference, because I believe 
by that time I shall have achieved further diplomatic success, 
and then I shall manage to rouse this debating assembly to some 
action. 


August t, Aussee 

Letter to Zadoc Kahn: 

Reverend Sir: 


448 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

I accept your proposal to convene a confidential gathering of 
representatives of all large Jewish communities, provided you 
are the organizer and it has a practical character from the be- 
ginning. I will no longer have anything to do with purely aca- 
demic discussions. This does not mean that I reject refinements 
of my idea, advice, limitations, etc. If I am willing to attend this 
conference, it is actually because 1 wish to prove for the ump- 
teenth time that I am not a fanatical agitator, but would like 
to proceed prudently and in cooperation with our calmest and 
best men. My consent, which I am giving you in principle today, 
will be definitive as soon as I am acquainted with the agenda of 
the conference and the names of its participants. 

Naturally I shall not interrupt my activities while awaiting this 
conference. As you have already observed, I move rapidly; and 
if you postpone the deliberation for long, it may come after the 
action. Therefore you can already take the necessary first steps 
from VVeggis. 

Thanking you for the appealing tone of your letter, I remain 

With sincere respect, 
Th. Herzl. 

August t, Aussee 

Wrote to Nordau to take care of the French edition, because 
I urgently need it for the Russian court and for Rome. 

What I don’t do myself doesn’t get done. 

S. Whitman writes from Constantinople that he will be coming 
to Vienna in three weeks and afterwards will go to see Bismarck 
again. 


August 3 , on the train to Vienna 

I have just now read a communication from the Arabian ex- 
plorer Dr. Glaser which arrived during my trip to England. It 
is a memorandum from the year 1890 , directed to Baron Hirsch. 
It is written in an obsequiously enthusiastic tone and culminates 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 449 

in the exclamation: Long live the King of Israel! — and after the 
preceding sentence there is no doubt that “Moritz Freiherr 
[Baron] von Hirsch’’ is thought of as the King of Israel. 

But the contents of the memorandum shows excellent think- 
ing. This Glaser is a man to remember. In any event, he possesses 
considerable knowledge of the Orient, and he may even have a 
talent for military organization. Since it is possible that 1 shall 
need a replacement for the unreliable Goldsmid, Glaser is to be 
cultivated. 

To be sure, he makes the absurd proposal to select Southern 
Arabia as the territory for the Jewish State; but the way in which 
he motivates this idea for colonization is excellent. 

I am going to write him from Vienna today or tomorrow that 
I am welcoming him to our ranks as a promising co-worker. 

• • • 


Dr. L. Ernst, the author of a book about secret remedies for 
venereal diseases, has written a cute answer to my pamphlet, 
with the title No Jewish Stale! 

Breitenstein the publisher asked me whether I had any ob- 
jection to his publishing this droll booklet, too, under his im- 
print. I had absolutely no objection. 

(At the same time Breitenstein gave me a financial statement 
on my |>amphlet. / owe him a few guilders. And he is already on 
the fourth printing!) 

I read Ernst's pamphlet on the train, in the galley-proofs. Sim- 
ple-minded pontifiration, ignorant e, narrow-mindedness on every 
page 

No answer. 

August 3 , Vienna 

At the office again. 

A brief, vigorous clash with Bather. He asked whether I wasn't 
going to write a feuilleton about Constantinople. 

“No," I said. "At Constantinople I had only historical experi- 
ences, not feuilletonistic ones." 


450 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 


He laughed foolishly. 

‘‘You don’t believe me?” I said. 

"No, I don’t believe that,” he countered. 

I added, gruffly: "You’ll believe, all right!” 
Then we parted, rather irritated. 


• • • 


In the afternoon at Newlinski's. 

At Carlsbad he also spoke with King Milan about my project. 
Milan thinks that I am overlooking the difficulties that France f 
would make. France wants to have her Syrian protectorate and 
an Arabian Empire. (Funny that this should coincide with 
Glaser's information.) 

Newlinski claims that Milan had already received my book in 
Paris from Dr. Milicevic and discussed it in detail with French 
politicians. 

Newlinski also spoke once more in Carlsbad with Prince Fer- I 
dinand who is supposed to have declared himself a champion of 
my idea. Ferdinand — like Bismarck — believes that the matter 
ought to be patronized from Rome. 

Newlinski was quick to tie interesting fancies onto this. A 
trip to Rome in October, fifteen cardinals — the entire Conclave 
to be won over. The Pope would receive me, possibly issue an 
encyclical about my plan. The Catholic church ought to take 
the matter under its worldwide protection. The Sultan would 
accept advice from the Pope more readily than from the Czar. 

It is my opinion, too, that we must work from Rome. How- 
even though I am very favorably disposed toward New- 
linski, I did not want him to notice how very well this suits me. 
For he is clerical-minded and in any event more devoted to the 
Pope than he is to me. 

I must look back and see whether I have noted down this habit: 
on the train bound for Stambul and in the bedroom at the Hotel 
Royal, Newlinski always crossed himself before he went to sleep. 
And, I believe, he is sincerely working for the Jews. 




THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 451 

Evidence that my proposal is truly the redeeming reconcilia- 
tion between Christians and Jews. 


• • • 

Gave Newlinski 184 guilders for Whitman's expenses. 

• • • 


August 5, Vienna 

Spoke with Schnirer about the accomplishments of my trips 
and the need for an organization. He explains Edmond Roth- 
schild's attitude to himself by the fact that any number of peo- 
ple want a split between E. R. and me. Schnirer knows that for 
every house that is built in Palestine, two thousand francs are 
allegedly paid out in baksheesh. 

I told him about the presumed intrigue of the Rothschild 
director Scheid against me in Yildiz Kiosk, and asked him what 
Scheid deserved if it was true. Schnirer said indignantly: “He 
would deserve to be strung up.” 

The present organization of the Zionist associations leaves 
everything to be desired. The Zionist Federation is an unservice- 
able instrument and must be reorganized. The associations, above 
all, have no money. I cannot advance any more for propaganda 
since my capacity is already exhausted. 

We agreed that the Zionist administration in Vienna should 
send a regular “Information Bulletin” to its members, who are 
to make some payment for it, so that the Zionist Federation could 
at least pay for the printing of stationery. 

This is how poor the financial condition of the Zionists is at 
the present time — the Zionists, whom I shall probably raise high, 
and soon, and who will then presumably forget what I have 
brought about. 


August 7 

Newlinski writes from Hungary that he has just received a 
letter from Whitman in Constantinople with an interesting item. 


452 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Whitman had breakfast at Therapia with the former Prussian 
Minister of War, Verdy du Vernois. The latter, an expert on the 
Orient, had expressed himself very favorably on my Palestine 
project and “thought it was a blessing for I urkey, about which 
he is crazy.” 

"Vernois thinks the idea is conceived on such a grand scale 
that it must materialize, and he believes in you! . . . He is really 
somebody; I wanted to tell you this in order to compensate you 
for the contumely and the disappointments that you get from 
others. Don’t let them get you down, and remember my words: 
Precisely among your co-religionists will you encounter the 
basest intrigues, stupidity, lack of principles, and ingratitude. But 
God will help youl ... So will I! 

With cordial regards. 

Yours, 

Newlinski” 


• • • 

I am including Ncwlinski’s charming letter here as a souvenir. 
What Sonnenschein (Court Secretary in the Ministry of Rail- 
roads) had just told me is like an illustration of it, namely, that 
the London Chief Rabbi Adler told David Gutmann: “Dr. Herzl 
had a fiasco in London." 

And David Gutmann cheerfully spread this around. 

I am writing this to de Haas in Ixindon. My people in the 
East End shall answer the Chief Rabbi. 


August 10 

De Haas sends me clippings, among them one from the 
Daily Chronicle, in which my trip to Iondon is connected with 
a conversion of the Turkish loan. I am not even issuing a denial 
of this. At the same time de Haas tells me the rumor is going 
around in London that a banking house (Barclay, Bcvan 8c Co.) 
has placed two million pounds sterling at my disposal for my 
undertaking. I am not protesting against this nonsense either. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 453 

because fairy-tales, jokes, caricatures arc vehicles for disseminat- 
ing an idea. 

• • • 

Newlinski today sounded me out by inquiring whether in 
case of a “Non possumus [We cannot]!" from Turkey we wouldn’t 
want to content ourselves with a lesser firman [imperial order] 
from the Sultan in which the Jews would merely be invited 
to establish colonies. 

In this I smelled his desire to work with Edmond Rothschild 
and the Zionist associations, which he deemed financially solvent, 
and told him: "If it should really turn out to be impossible to 
obtain the basis for a state, I shall personally put you in touch 
with the Zionists and Edmond Rothschild (lest he try to do that 
himself), but I draw your attention to the following: in the first 
place, in the case of such colonization, the go-betweens get little 
baksheesh ; in the second place. I am fundamentally opposed to 
this form and would fight it vigorously afterwards. Just keep 
your confidence in the cause. Dans cette chose il faut avoir de 
restomac, comme disent les joueurs [in this project one has to 
have a stomac h, as the gamblers say]." 

Thereupon, visibly reinvigorated, he asked me if he should 
write to Cardinal Rampoila in Rome to initiate action with the 
Pope. 

Naturally I fully agree to this. 

• • • 

At Reichenau yesterday I spoke with Horn, the former editor- 
in-chief of the Journal de St. Ptlersbourg. He is a brother of 
the late Hungarian State Secretary Eduard Horn, whom I knew 
in my boyhood. For thirty years he was a semi-official journalist 
in Russia and naturally is well acquainted with the situation 
there. He does not think that Russia would let the Jews have 
Palestine. He said there was a "Society of the Holy Sepulchre” 
under the chairmanship of Grand Duke Sergius. He also feels 
that the serviceable Jews would not be allowed to leave. Anti- 


454 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Scmitism in Russia, he says, is due to the fact that the city dwell- 
ers there number at most eight million; and if these include five 
million Jews — who, in addition, rush into the learned profes- 
sions, on account of certain military advantages this is an un- 
bearable situation. As for the peasant areas, the Jews cannot be 
integrated there, because in Russian village communities there 
is common pasture-land, and the Jews cannot participate in it. 

But he has not been to Russia in six years and no longer knows 
how the wind is blowing. 

About Ignatiew he tells me that when the latter was Minister 
of the Interior he had virtually encouraged persecution of the 
Jews. 

Pobedonostsev he called a fanatic who defied even the Emperor 
and who would hardly have any dealings with me. 

August it, Vienna 

Haas reports from London that a ‘ Tent” of the Hovevci Zion 
had offered to “revolt" in my favor; another one had attacked me. 
The Daily Chronicle report that I had been on a financial miv 
sion for the Sultan was souring people on me. 

I am telegraphing Haas: 

"Pay no attention to false newspaper reports. Tell Prag I want 
collaboration with Hovevei. 

Herd." 


• • • 

In the Allgemeine Israrlitische Wochemchrift of July 17 one 
Dr. Singer-Coblenz makes a venomous attack on me. 

August 13, Vienna 

Today called on the Turkish ambassador, Mahmud Nedim. 
He spoke uninterruptedly for one hour, without saying one single 
thing — not out of rouerie [craftiness], however, but out of un- 
speakable naivetl. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 455 

Some ambassador! A haberdashery clerk on Rartncrstrasse 
displays more acumen. 

He was very amiable — without understanding. Or is he in- 
finitely discreet??? 

Interesting that Izzet should have written me about him. 

Mahmud Nedim gave me the desired explanation which he 
had first addressed to Newlinski: that the Turkish authorities are 
not expelling the Jewish colonists. He asked me. however, not 
to make his letter of today public. I should say only: “Comme 
nous apprenons de source certaine [As we learn from a reliable 
source]”— or ** Vambassadeur turc m’a dit [the Turkish ambassa- 
dor has told me]" — or " nous sommes en mesure d'affirmer [we 
arc in a position to affirm]" — in short, he enumerated all the 
cliches of the Havas News Agency. 

Which once again is confirmation of my definition of diplo- 
mats: "People who put together notes out of our notices.” 


August 18, Aussee 

Dc Haas sends me bad news from London. The opponents 
in the Hovevei Zion, etc., arc gaining the upper hand. 

Meyerson has reported from Paris that 1 met with failure 
there. Also, my reception by the Russian Jewish students is sup- 
posed to have been an unfavorable one. On the other hand, Mr. 
Prag is said to have adopted a friendly attitude toward me lately. 

I am writing de Haas a few compliments for Mr. Prag, and 
am authorizing him at the same lime to publish the Turkish am- 
bassador's denial in the press — only the substance, not the word- 
ing. 


August 18, Aussee 

Newlinski telegraphs from Vasvar: 

"Have good news Rome." 

(From Cardinal Rampolla, then.) 



456 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

August 23, Baden 

Had a long talk with the electrical engineer Kremenezky. 
He is a good Zionist, with modern ideas. On the shores of the 
highly saliferous Dead Sea great chemical industries could be 
established. 

The streams of fresh water which now flow’ into it would have 
to be diverted and used as drinking water. The tributaries would 
be replaced by a canal from the Mediterranean which on ac- 
count of the mountains would have to pass through a tunnel 
for part of the way (an internationally famous sight). The dif- 
ference in level of the two seas (waterfall) could be used to run 
machines. Many thousands of horsepower. 

Elsewhere in Palestine, too, there is plenty of water power 
that can be converted into electricity. 

We must found a National Arbor Society for the afforestation 
of the land. Every Jew donates one or more trees. Ten million 
trees! 

During the talk I had an idea concerning organization. 

The young professional men want to found a Zionist society 
for university graduates. I think it will be even better to establish 
specialized Zionist societies for here and for over there: associa- 
tions of Jewish lasvyers, physicians, engineers, electricians, build- 
ing contractors, civil servants, merchants (chambers of com- 
merce). These professional people have mutual interests even 
here. Practical problems and plans can be placed before them, for 
appraisal, discussion, etc. If the plan is carried out, we shall have 
in them p/pinitres [hothouses] for the men we shall need. 

These professional societies are to become integrated into the 
Zionist Federation, which will thereby be shaken out of its uni- 
versally deplored slumber. 


August *5, Vienna 

Yesterday I had Colbert buy 50 SteyrermUhl shares for me at 
the Stock Exchange. It was the first business deal of my life. 
I was forced into it by the mean, ignominious conduct of the 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 457 

Viennese press which is passing my idea over in silence. I must 
endeavor to gain influence over a newspaper. I can have such in- 
fluence only as an owner of shares. Any other attempt to gain 
journalistic power would be wrecked on the local newspaper situ- 
ation, and I would bleed to death on it. 

Therefore I chose the Stryrer Tagblatt as a locus minoris 
resistenliae [place of least resistance], and I intend to gain con- 
trol of it through gradual purchases of stock. Or, rather, the 
Steyrermuhl Company is to produce a new paper which I shall 
edit. 

I am staking my property as well as that of my parents on it. 
Dessauer promises me lombardization of my shares on a large 
scale. 


I own 150 Steyrermuhl shares. 


August 25, Vienna 


• • • 

Newlinski is back from Hungary and today gave me the fol- 
lowing information: 

The Turks have a knife at their throats, financially speaking. 
Izzet Bey wrote him that he would be willing to submit the 
modified plan to the Sultan if we were quite in earnest. Be- 
cause it could cost him his head if afterwards nothing came of it. 
Therefore Newlinski calls on me to give a final formulation of 
the proposal. 

1 am doing this in the following manner, which still leaves 
Izzet (and myself) the possibility of pulling our heads out of 
the noose. I make a few vague conditions, during the discussion 
of which even "serious” proposals can come to naught. While 
negotiations with the Sultan are going on, I shall tame the Lon- 
don and Paris Jews as well. For the rest, my proposals are based 
completely on the admittedly vague agreements with Montagu, 
Landau, etc. Outline which Newlinski intends to submit to the 
Sultan in revised form: 

Our group wishes to place at His Majesty's disp<»sal a gradu* 


458 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR 71 

ated loan of *0 million pounds sterling. This loan is t 0 ^ 
funded on the annual tribute which the autonomous Jcwi* 
settlers in Palestine have to pay to His Majesty. The tribute 
guaranteed by our group will amount to one hundred thousai* 
pounds sterling in the first year and increase up to one miUin 
pounds sterling annually. The gradual rise in the tribute will be 
correlated with the gradual immigration of the Jews into Palt* 
tine, and the detailed procedure is to be worked out in the pa 
sonal conferences which arc to be held in Constantinople. 

In return. His Majesty should graciously make the follows 
concessions: 

The immigration of the Jews into Palestine, which is not onh 
to be completely unrestricted but is to be encouraged in even 
way by the imperial Turkish government. The immigrant Jon 
are to be given autonomy, guaranteed under international la. 
in the constitution, government, and administration of justice is 
the temtory assigned to them. (Palestine as a vassal state.) 

In the Constantinople negotiations it will have to be deter- 
mined in detail in what form the sovereign protection of Hu 
Majesty the Sultan will be exercised in Jewish Palestine and ho. 
t e preservation of law and order is to be managed by the Jem 
themselves through security forces of their own. 

The agreement could take the following form: His Majesn 
issua a most gracious invitation to the Jews to return to the land 
° their fathers; this invitation will have the force of law and 
will be made known to the Powers in advance. 

Naturally, thi, invitation .hall bo made only aflrr all thr 

parate etai s have been arranged in a preliminary agreement. 


Letter to Montagu: 

My dear Sir Samuel: 

staminnn] 1 ^ f p V C( \ V rnc • cnsat i°nal and decisive news from C 

with usimmi^H 0 ^ ? 1 *** incI,ncd to cnlCT *nto negotiati 

With us immediately on the basis which I have already mrnt.o, 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 459 

to you in London. In return for a graduated loan of twenty mil- 
lion pounds sterling, which would be distributed over a number 
of years, the Sultan would, with previous notification of the 
Powers, invite the Jews all over the world to return to the land 
of their fathers where they are to have autonomy and pay him 
an annual tribute. It is on this tribute that the loan would be 
based. 

Turkey’s financial distress has reached a climax. It is now or 
never that we shall obtain Palestine. I am asking you, Sir Samuel, 
if you arc willing to go to Constantinople with me in ordeT to 
carry on the negotiations. I know it would be a great sacrifice 
for you to decide to make this trip. But if you make this sacrifice. 
Sir Samuel Montagu will be spoken of with gratitude as long 
as there are Jews alive. 

If you decide on it, I shall give you details about the time 
later. It will, in any case, not be before the end of September, 
when the heat in Constantinople is no longer so bad. 

Edmond Rothschild gave me an evasive answer in Paris— 
neither Yes nor No. He will undoubtedly join in with us, just 
as all Jews will enthusiastically join in as soon as we have achieved 
success. 

Consider well. Sir Samuel, in what a historically memorable 
situation you now find yourself! I'ndcrstand the full greatness of 
the task which is confronting you! Be the man we need! 

With cordial regards. 

Sincerely yours. 

Herd. 


• • • 


letter to Zadoc Khan: 

Reverend Sir: 

(Hrictly confidential!) 

From Constantinople I have received the sensational and 
decisive news that they are ready at any time for further negotia- 


460 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

tions. The financial distress there has become acute. It U no* 
or never that we shall obtain Palestine. 

What steps have you taken since we last corresponded? 

Events press. I beg you for a speedy reply. 

With sincere respect. 

Herzl. 

August tg 

Terrible news has come from Constantinople. The building 
of the Ottoman Bank was stormed by Armenians. Murder, kill- 
ings, bombs, street- fights. Order appears to have been restored, 
but the impression on the world is deplorable. At any rate, fa 
the moment I am abstaining from sending off the above letten 
which I drafted yesterday. The Englishmen Montagu etc. proh 
ably won’t have anything to do with the Sultan now. On the 
other hand, of course, the moment would be very propitious fa 
negotiating with the Sultan, because at present he isn’t likely to 
get money from anyone. 

August sg, afternoon 

I am mailing the letter to Zadoc Kahn after all. 

September 5 , Breslau 

I was prevented by some hectic newspaper work from record 
ing the events of the last few days. 

Zadoc Kahn sent a reply to the effect that he cannot do any- 
thing at the moment, because he had received "dilatory, that a 
to say, evasive replies ’ from the people to whom he turned. 

His own answer, too, is dilatory, that is to say, evasive. Nobody 
helps. 

On Tuesday, September 1 , Bather asked me if I would like to 

go to Breslau and report on the Kaiser’s visit there. Naturally 
I said Yes. 

• • • 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 461 

That same evening I was in the Cafd Louvre on Wipplinger* 
strasse where the Viennese Zionists get together every I uesday 
and for months have been debating the question of how to ac- 
quire some club rooms. If 1 should succeed in winning something 
greater for the Zionists and obtaining more for them than club 
rooms for an annual rent of 800 guilders, many are sure to attack 
me. I recognize a few of this ilk even now: they "feel crowded 
out” by me, etc. They will have to be reminded of how impotent 
they have shown themselves to be and how they have done noth- 
ing but indulge in idle talk. 

Incidentally, this time they made me a formal offer to become 
head of the party's Executive Committee. I accepted. 

Among those present was the “Christian Zionist" Baron Man- 
teuffel, who pays to have agricultural training given to penniless 
Jewish boys. 

• • • 

I telegraphed Hechler, who has gone to Horitz for the peasant 
passion plays, that I was going to Breslau. 

Thereupon he asked me whether I wanted him to come; he 
had written at once to the Grand Duke at Baden. 

I immediately asked HechleT by telegram to come to Gorlitz. 
Today he informs me that he will arrive there tomorrow. I am 
going to send him to Prince Heinrich of Prussia; perhaps we 
shall manage to obtain that audience with the Kaiser. 

September 9 . Gorlitz 

Arrived here the day before yesterday. I am staying at a cosy 
private residence, the house of Music Director Stiehler. I found 
Hechler's card waiting for me; he had tracked me down although 
I had not been able to give him my address. He himself is staying 
at the "Evangelical Clubhouse.” which gave me the impression 
of a Christian-Socialist consumers' cooperative. Bare, spotless 
walls with Bible verses. A big bar parlor where, to be sure, drinks 
are served and perhaps even a small profit is made, but the peo- 


462 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

pie are evidently kept well in hand. The whole establishment 
gives the impression of a cleverly disguised political institution. 

Hcchler was sitting in a cheerful room which was adorned 
with Biblical maxims. Evangelical style. This is most decided!? 
Stocker territory, and one of the most curious places I have 
visited so far in the course of my movement. 

Hechler had already oriented himself a bit. On the trip from 
Horitz he composed a letter to the Kaiser, written in English on 
the stationery of the Vienna embassy, about the return of tht 
Jews * The British official stamp gave the whole thing a vaguelj 
official character. 

Unfortunately, Prince Heinrich of Prussia, whom Hechlei 
was counting on, has left for Kiel in order to receive the Czar 
there. "By the way,” says Hechler, "who knows if this isn’t an 
advantage. I am told that in recent times Prince Heinrich has 
made only mocking remarks about religion. And one shouldn't 
cast pearls before swine, as the Bible says.” 

However, Gunther of Schleswig-Holstein, a brother of the 
Empress, is here. He is kindly disposed toward Hechler and is 
interested in social problems. He has been to England in order to 
study the condition of the working class. His rank is that of a 
Major— on the general staff, I believe. Hechler also told me on 
this occasion that Prince Gunther recently was suspected of being 
involved in that affair of the anonymous court letters which led 
to the duel between Schrader and Kotze: gossip which I wasn't 
interested in before and which I now like to hear, because it 
shows me the small side of the big people. And this is necessary if 
one is not to be confused by the outward glamor of the tinsel 
surrounding them and is to associate with them without self- 
consciousness. 

I hat is why I paid such close attention to the infirmity of the 
German Kaiser during the past week when I saw him so fre- 
quently. Isn’t it strange that people really don’t know that he, 
one of the most "highly regarded" men in the world, has only 
one arm.-' Such men truly dwell in a cloud. Here is a figure 

" In English in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 463 

known from a hundred thousand pictures; and when you 
see him, you notice that his most significant characteristic is 
hidden from the crowd. Yes, throngs see him daily and are hardly 
aware of it. The most sharp-sighted say: he has a stiff arm. Actu- 
ally, it is a child’s arm that hangs down from his left shoulder. 
The arm is said to have been stunted by rickets. According to the 
version which Hcchler gives me— evidently the court version— 
Wilhelm was dropped as an infant by his wet-nurse, and the con- 
sequences were not discovered until it was too late. 

In any case, this abnormality is important for his image. To 
me it brings him closer as a human being. It shows that, in 
reality, under his many uniforms of the regiments he commands, 
he is only a helpless human being after all. When I was watching 
the manifestations of his power, the glamor of his court, die 
martial magnificence of his legions on the parade field, I kept 
my eyes on his crippled arm, in order not to let my mind be 
dazed should I ever speak with him face to face. 

His being a cripple also explains his whole character, I be- 
lieve. This Supreme Warlord would be rejected by the medical 
board if he were an ordinary man called up for military service. 
His pathological predilection for all things military may stem 
from this. Nor can he adopt any natural pose, because he must 
always have to think of how to conceal his defect. As a matter of 
fact, he does deceive many people by the way in which, when on 
horseback, he holds the reins with his short left arm. This bridle- 
arm enables him to get by on horseback. He also loves dazzling, 
shiny uniforms and gleaming helmets which attract, distract the 
eye. 

However, he is, it seems to me, a likeable man: to put it even 
better and more briefly: a man! 

He wants to make a big impression on the crowd, to be sure, 
and he plays the emperor with might and main. Rut he wishes 
to charm those who meet him by amiability. He has an engaging 
way of shaking hands, like a party leader. He looks everyone with 
whom he speaks full in the eye by stepping up close to him. He 
was at his most charming at Breslau at the gala performance of 


464 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

a little military comedy by Moser. He laughed aloud at the in. 
nocent soldiers’ jokes; he fairly shook with laughter. In fact, 
there was a trace of exaggeration in this unconstraint, which he 
knew was being observed by so many eyes. He is inclined to 
overdo things. 

There is no doubt that he is a man of great and varied talents 
who, however, wants to tackle too many things with his one arm 
and always has his hands full because he wishes to hide the fact 
that he has only one hand. 

If I understand him aright, I am going to win him for our 
cause, provided that I manage to get close enough to him. 

• • • 

Hechler went to see Prince Gunther yesterday afternoon when 
the latter returned from the parade ground. Unfortunately one 
minute too late. The Prince was already taking a bath, or at 
least he sent word by a servant that he was already in the bath; 
Hechler was asked to return in the evening before the court 
dinner. 

Hechler did so; but a high general was with the Prince. As 
Gunther left he spoke only a few words with Hechler, asking 
him to come back this evening at half past six. 

This just about finishes the prospect of getting to the Kaiser 
here. Because for three full days starting tomorrow morning 

the Kaiser will be at the manoeuvres. And I have to leave to- 
morrow. 


September it, Vienna 

The afternoon before yesterday Hechler came and reported 
t at Prince Gunther had spoken about the matter like someone 
who was acquainted with it. The Kaiser seems to have discussed 
it with him even before this. But they evidently don’t want to 
touch the matter; princes shrink from the whole question. “It 
ts so strange,’’* said Prince Giinther to Hechler. But the latter 


• In EnglUh in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 465 

may be received by the Kaiser after all, although Gunther 
wouldn’t take Hechler's letter to transmit to the Kaiser. 

I realized that I wouldn’t accomplish anything in Gbrlitz now, 
and immediately decided to depart. Hechler took me to the sta- 
tion. There I impressed it upon him that he should try to do 
what he could, and in any case tell the Prince, and possibly the 
Kaiser, that I had had to leave hastily, but would be willing to 
appear at any time and in any place to present and explain the 
matter. 


• • • 


Poor Hechler had tough luck. He left Horitz without giving 
a forwarding address. The day before yesterday the Embassy 
was looking for him because an Englishman had died here and 
Hechler was supposed to conduct the funeral service. I tele- 
graphed him this, but of course too late. 

Hechler’s cook, with whom I had checked at his request, 
mournfully told me of this incident and said; "What a pity! 
It was a wealthy funeral.” 


• • • 

During my absence a letter from Zadoc Kahn arrived, con- 
taining fresh laments and accusations by the Rothschild director 
Scheid. Who’s lying? Scheid or the Turks who formally denied 
the expulsion of Jewish colonists? This must be cleared up now. 
I am writing Newlinski about it. 

• • • 

From I.ondon comes the news that the Powers are giving some 
thought to deposing Abdul Hamid. If this comes about, the Zion- 
ist idea will be dead for a long time to come. For a new Sultan 
will find money and won't need this combination. 


466 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
Hechler wires from Gbrlitz: 

“Very friendly letter (presumably from Gunther), only not 
enough time.” 


September 16, Vienna 

Yesterday, endless debate of the Zionist Federation at the 
Cafd Louvre, later at Robicsek’s Restaurant. 

A representative of the Lvov Zionists was present, and he 
demanded quick action. In one year, 400-600,000 signatures 
could be raised in Galicia for a petition to the Powers. He said 
there was great distress and the desire to emigrate was immeasur- 
able. Dr. Gabel is the name of this delegate. 

I took him at his word; let him get those signatures. They 
would be proof of the strength of our movement and a backbone 
for our action, which, however, must not be expected to be ready 
tomorrow. 

Everybody wanted action, and in the end it turned out that 
Schnirer had not even sent out my circular letter about the need 
for organization, which I had given him weeks ago. 

They argued about the wording of the first paragraph in the 
party program drafted by Schnirer. 


September 16 

Letter to Zadoc Kahn: 

Reverend Sir: 

Having just returned from a trip, I hasten to answer your 
kind letter of September 7. 

I had already been informed that Mr. Scheid is working against 
me. From your letter I sec that this is true. I am asking myself 
what might motivate this gentleman to proceed in this way. 
The movement that I started may not have the approbation of 
all Jews; but for the present it is incomprehensible to me that 
people who have to do with colonization should be fighting it- 
Following your first complaint in July, which was transmitted 
to me by Dr. Nordau, I immediately took steps at Constantinople 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 467 

and received an official denial from the Turkish ambassador in 
Vienna. This denial I telegraphed to Baron E. Rothschild who 
has not acknowledged it to this day. 

In August I had the ambassador reiterate this denial for me, 
because his first letter contained other things which I did not 
want to show around. You will find enclosed the letter, which 
you will kindly show to Baron Rothschild and Mr. Leven and 
then return to me as soon as possible. 

Now Mr. Scheid comes with specific accusations. 1 am sending 
these to the proper authorities for investigation. I shall ask for 
a statement as to 1) whether the facts are correct, 2) whether dif- 
ficulties of this son did not arise before I came on the scene, 3) 
whether the alleged disciplinary measures have any connection 
with my efforts. 

Since it is part of the Jewish misfortune that a gTeat deal de- 
pends on M. de Rothschild’s decisions, this incident has to be 
given some attention. 

Let anyone who comes close to our project realize iu full seri- 
ousness. 

Until now I have conducted the movement considerately and 
as a calm man; this is common knowledge. It is known as well 
that to me Zionism is neither a sport nor a business. 1 am not 
living on it, but for it. I am making sacrifices of all kinds, which 
in profiortion to my means are surely no smaller than those of 
M. de Rothschild. Therefore I demand that, even if people do 
not work with roe, they do not work against me. 

I believe that we are at a great turning point in our history. 
You are acquainted with the events in Turkey. Never has the 
general situation been more favorable to us. I am not going into 
details of this now, because 1 regretfully conclude from your 
letter that your mind has been changed again, after you had 
written me from Weggis that you were going to convene a con- 
fidential world congress. 

I continue to go my way, imperturbably, unihakably. 

Strangely enough, quite a few people don’t know yet that 1 
can write and can be bought just as little as the disagreeable Mr. 



468 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

Drumont. I shall not write pamphlets, to be sure, but a simple 
report on what I have tried to do and what I perhaps have been 
prevented from doing. The book will be called "The Return of 
the Jews,” and everyone will have his place in it. Tant pis, si C eU 
fournira encore de la copie a Monsieur Drumont [Too bad if 
this will furnish M. Drumont with more material]. 

With a respectful greeting. 

Your Reverend's devoted 
Herzl. 


September 16 , Vienna 


An enthusiastic and touching resolution came from Jerusalem. 

The sender, Wilhelm Gross, writes me that the signers art 
among the most respected men of Jerusalem. 

He denies — what a strange coincidence — that my efforts hast 
harmed the Jews there. 

I am answering him that he should form an investigating com- 
mittee of the most respected men. It should consist neither of 
friends nor of foes of Scheid, and it should ascertain the thrtt 
points of information about which I wrote Zadoc Kahn. 

At the same time I am asking him for confidential informa- 
tion about Scheid, because I don't know him and would like to 
know whether it is sincere conviction that prompts him to work 
against me, or whether there are other motives at work. 

September 14 


I received a letter from Zadoc Kahn, with an enclosure from 
Scheid in which he says that I have too much confidence in tht 
Turks. If I was really able to achieve anything, I ought to secuit 
entry permits for 100 families to the Jaulan. At the same time. 
Zadoc informs me that in October there will be a meeting of 

e Hirsch Fund people in Paris and that he intends to present 
my plan etc. to them. 






I immediately went to see Newlinski and told him the m 




THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 469 

ment had come to frapper un grand coup [strike a big blow]. The 
Sultan should give me authorization for the immigration of three 
to five hundred families or some other great concession, and 
then the Hirsch people etc. would make him an offer. 

Newlinski wrote to Izzet and spoke with the local ambassador, 
Mahmud Nedim. The latter used the occasion to tell him that 
the N. Fr. Pr. reporter who covers the diplomatic corps spoke of 
me as a madman. 


• • • 

In the meantime the following happened: Glogau came to me 
with the news that the government wanu a rival paper to needle 
the N. Fr. Pr., because the N. Fr. Pr. has been getting bothersome 
to Badeni's administration since he made his peace with Lueger. 
The paper is to be liberal-conservative-anti-Scmitic — in short, an 
impossibility, — but typographically (swipe-ographically)* pro- 
duced exactly like the N. Fr. Pr., which, to be sure, originated 
in a similar manner from the old Presse. 

I dropped the remark in front of Newlinski that this competi- 
tion was a stupid thing. If they intended to weaken the N. Fr. Pr., 
they couldn't do it this way. However, because the word pledged 
to me a year ago has not been kept and the Jewish State, the 
Jewish cause, has not only not been supported but almost ma- 
liciously suppressed, I would — found a great paper. 

Newlinski immediately told this to his friend Kozmian — on 
Monday — , and when I was at the Burgtheater on Tuesday, 
Kozmian came up to me and said that Graf Badrni, who was 
also present, wished to speak with me about “my” paper. I re- 
plied that we hadn't got that far yet; only the beginning had 
been made, etc. 

But the next day, after consulting with Badeni again. Kozmian 
called me to his suite in the Hotel Imperial where Newlinski 
was also present. Badeni wanted to know through him what I 
wanted "for your support.” 

1 answered: "Above all, no money! I wish to be independent; 

• Traniblor't Note: Hml'i pun U "typognphiuh (dubogr*p*ueh) “ 


470 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

the mutual relationship must reside more in the attitude. Should 
I in any way need help or favor for my idea, then let the govern- 
ment help me; in return for this I shall not give it any displeat 
ure.” 

“That’s little enough,” said Kozmian, who was in his shin 
sleeves and had only put on an overcoat. 

“Which means: pleasure!" I declared; "but Count Badeni will 
have to support Zionism.” 

Kozmian thought he could promise this. Badeni would en- 
courage Jewish colonization ( par bleu ! Lueger’s desire, too). And 
now suddenly the moment has come of which I had a foreboding 
in my letter to Badeni that time when my pamphlet was coming 
out. 

Kozmian also said Badeni would receive me as soon as I wanted 
it — and then he left for Galicia from where he will return at the 
beginning of October. 

As I went out, Newlinski saw me to the door and said: "II 
faudra crier aussi a Kozmian une situation dans ce journal (We 
will have to create a job on this paper for Kozmian too].” 

I said: " Ce n'est pas possible, mais je tdcherai de I’lntiresser j 
autrement [ That isn't possible, but I shall try to take care of him 
some other way].” 

At this Newlinski said pithily: "II en a besom [He needs it]." I 

• • • 

I am now doing the spade work for the founding of the paper 
Tough financial problem. Dessauer is advising me. 


Letter to Zadoc Kahn: 


September 15 


Reverend Sir: 

I gratefully acknowledge receipt of your kind letter with eo- 
c osures. Yesterday I had the 1 urkish ambassador here addre* f 
an inquiry to Constantinople, and a few days before that I had 
already taken the necessary direct steps there. In Turkey peopk | 
ve many great worries now; and it will not be surprising if j 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 471 

they do not give me an immediate answer, although I have well- 
founded reason to believe that they arc very favorably disposed 
toward me. 

I beg you to give me the exact date on which the Hirsch peo- 
ple will meet, so that I may send you the proclamation which I 
requested from Constantinople for you to submit to the gentle- 
men, or bring it to Paris myself. You see, I asked for a confirma- 
tion of the verbal declarations made to me, one that will exclude 
all doubt. If I receive such a confirmation, I believe it will be 
substantial material for the Paris conference which you an- 
nounced. 

I am active in various other respects, too. I have met with co- 
operation in particular from a very high place here in Austria. 
As for the other things favorable to us — in Rome and in Berlin — 
I cannot write you about them. 1 am (kindly pardon my frank- 
ness!) not wholly convinced that you will go along through thick 
and thin, the way the cause may require it. 

However, this does not preclude the fact that I am sincerely 
grateful to you for your efforts and beg you to continue to help 
to the extent that you can help. 

With sincere respect, 
Herzl. 

Could not Edmond Rothschild try to approach the Czar in 
Paris now and bespeak his kind interest in the colonization? Our 
endeavors do converge, even if we diverge on details. 

September 15 

Newlinski tells me he has news from Cardinal Agliardi that 
Cardinal Rampolla intends to submit my idea to the Pope. 

• • • 

Hechler has been here a few times already to ask whether I 
have written to Prince Gunther. I have been too feeble and 
distracted in the last few days. 


472 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

Yesterday Schnirer and Kokesch came to see me. They torn, 
plained that little Dr. Kohn "wanted to break loose.” They said 
he was agitating on his own in Moravia etc. and there ought to 
be "inner-political” action. Both called Kohn a careerist who 
was interested only in getting hold of a position for himself. 
Schnirer spoke of withdrawing. Kokesch wanted to bring Kohn 
back into the fold through concessions. I told these two, who art 
among the finest of the local Zionists: 

"Neither one nor the other, but work! 

"If you finally start the much-talked-of work of organization 
you will cut the ground from under these separatists.” 

Schnirer said he had called upon Kohn to let “us,” i.e., the 
Zionist Federation, have the results of his agitation. Kohn re- 
fused, saying that he had not done this “for us.” 

However, I hear from Moravia that the young people are agi- 
tating in my name — and yet “not for us"? 

At length Schnirer, Kokesch, and 1 decided to set up commis- 
sions which would have to report to the leadership, i.e., to us. 
One commission for the associations, another for the press, a 
finance commission and a study commission. 

The only trouble is that Schnirer and Kokesch will soon let the 
matter go to sleep again. 


• • • 

Today Rabbi Dr. Leopold Goldschmied of Mieslitz came to see 
me and asked me for my support, because he would like to be- 
come rabbi at Floridsdorf. He is a Zionist. He told me on this 
occasion that the young people in Moravia are writing the rabbis 
to raise share certificates at 50 guilders each for the found- 
ing of a Jewish newspaper. 

This is evidently Kohn’s idea. 

October 5, Vienna 

Since the last entry, hard, chaotic days with much sorrow and 
disgust. I had dealings with “practical” people from the busine* 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 473 

and political worlds, and often regretted that I had to step out 
of the literary world into this hustle and bustle. 

A few days were filled with attempts to found the newspaper. 
Dessauer the bank director had told me for months that he, or 
rather, his bank, would participate in the founding of the news- 
paper (which, of course, was conceived as a respectable venture, 
independent of financial deals) with part of the share capital. 
But when I came to see him with Colbert and Steiner— of the 
Wiener Mode publishing house — he declared: "You mustn’t 
take me at my word like that.” 

It was a humiliating situation. 

Then a different combination was started, in which a few 
relatives and I are supposed to procure half of the necessary 
money. But we shall have a hard time raising the other half. 

Meanwhile, however, I informed Count Badeni through New- 
linski and Kozraian that I intended to start a big newspaper to 
represent my idea. The inner-political situation is such that this 
is also in Badeni's interest. He sent me word through Kozmian 
that he would receive me as soon as 1 wished to talk with him. 
1 purposely didn’t go while I still had not completed raising the 
money for the paper. I still haven't completed it. And because 
Dessauer broke his word, I am now disgraced before Newlinski, 
Kozmian, and Badeni. As it is, Badeni had declared at the out- 
set that he didn’t think I would make it. He said I was a weak 
man. Kozmian had asked me what I wanted in return for “sup- 
porting the government.’’ I answered him that I couldn't accept 
a financial subvention of any kind, but wished to perform serv- 
ices for the Badeni Cabinet in return for the advancement of my 
Zionist policies. Kozmian didn’t quite seem to understand how 
anyone could do something like that gratis. 

When I had to inform Newlinski that my newspaj>er attempts 
had as good as failed, he flew into a gTeat rage (I had held out 
to him the prospect of a good position on the paper as a special 
correspondent). He said he was disappointed in me. that I was 
obviously not the man to carry the idea out. I was too much of 


474 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

an idealist. I ought to ask money from Montagu, E. Rothschild, 
etc., to create a great organ. In reply to this I said that I would 
never bring myself to ask anyone for money that would look as 
though it were given to me. 

Thereupon he said it was best to drop the whole matter. 

I then accompanied him to the Turkish embassy. He joked: 
*'If we two were conspirators, and it were a question of stealing 
dynamite, and you refused to steal, I would draw my gun and 
shoot you down.” 

I truly believe that energy of this kind would be needed to 
see things through. I don't have it. 1 shrink bat k from asking for 
money for agitation, let alone raising it in an ungenteel manner. 

When the Steyrermiihl combination was in progress, 1 was 
bothered by the stock-exchange atmosphere about it, and it was 
with relief that I had the shares sold again when the combination 
turned out to be unworkable. 

Incidentally, Newlinski now has an opportunity figuratively 
to draw a gun, by passing on the information given him in con- 
fidence to Bacher and Benedikt. 

Then 1 would suddenly be sitting on the floor, between two 
chairs. 

Today I met Benedikt on the street before I went to the office, 
and he walked along with me through the city for an hour. I 
asked him whether he had by now been brought closer to Zion- 
ism by all that had happened in Austria within a year — I. urges 
with the Emperor, Badeni's reconciliation with the anti-Semites, 
etc. 

He insisted that the X. Fr. Pr. had to keep to the German- 
Liberal standpoint. I he Jewish-nationalist movement was a mis- 
fortune, etc. Moravia in particular was thereby being lost to 
Liberalism. Despite this, his opposition seemed weaker to me 
today than it was half a year ago. 

This half a year has been rather meaningful for me. The 
Viennese Jews seem to have become more pliable. There was 
something peculiar about that. I was indifferent to the advances 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF I HEODOR HERZL 475 

of anti-Semitism, I hardly noticed them. On the other hand, 
vexation was forcing Benedikt and Company more over to my 
side every day. 

On how many points have I already proved to be right! 

Oppenheim, who a year ago declared my pamphlet a bad joke, 
said today that I could quite well write a few factual articles 
about Zionism for the X. Fr. Pr. 

That would be a solution. 

In any case, difficult days are ahead for me again, like a year 
ago, when I was supposed to leave the X. Fr. Pr. and had so 
many palpitations during the negotiations that my heart has 
been ailing ever since. 

Again there are suspenseful instalments in the novel of my 
life. Perhaps the movement will now propel me out of my secure 
position with the X. Fr. Pr. and into adventures which 1 face 
not without worry on account of my family. 

Newlinski tells me a remark of Bacher’s. One evening they 
ran into each other in the Prater. Bacher asked d brUlr pour- 
point [point-blank]: “What are you doing with Herzl?" 

Newlinski replied: “I am helping him with the Turkish gov- 
ernment in matters of Jewish colonization." 

Whereupon Bacher said: "Herzl is such a prig!” * 


October 6 

Of all the people who have been drawn to me by the "move- 
ment.” the Rev. Hechler is the finest and most fanciful. But I 
believe he wants to convert me. 

He frequently writes me postcards, for no particular reason, 
telling me that he hasn't been able to sleep the previous night 
because Jerusalem came into his mind. 

9 Tnmb(0r'i Note: Bar her cillrd Hml a %fhmotk — a word of Slovene origin 
meaning M fnol - It waa populariard by the Carman writer Gustav FmLag who 
*ucd It ai the name of an unprincipled Jewish newspaperman in hb coord? Th* 
Jaurnalntm Schmock it used in colloquial German to designate a porn pout, 

oohbnh. tell tat lifted, pretentious perton 


476 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2 L 

October 10 

Again several days of ups and downs in the newspaper project I 
A number of times everything seemed all set, then again: tom 
est rompu, mon gendre [everything’s gone to smash, my son-io- 

13 WJ. 

These reversals are uninteresting and deserve to be forgotten, 
unless they are written down immediately. 

But last night there was a substantial development at the of. 
fice. Bacher called me to his room. 

I .houghl he warned .o speat abou. my plan for a new, papa 

and inwardly made ready for a batlle. Was .he break gome To 
come this early? ® 6 

Bacher asked: ‘What arrangements have you made for the I 
Neue Presse in Constantinople?" 

' ^".Mounded. "Arrangement,? None whatever." 

He. You were down there with Newlinski?" 

I: "Yes. That is common knowledge.” 

He: ’ He took you around to the Ministers?” 

I: "Yes indeed.” 

He: "Today we were informed for the Kcond time that yo. 
** ecn lo Cmuttmmople in order to ask the Turkish gov 
Fr o' "!' ° r . a , " bvcmion ol ,hrec thousand pounds for the ,V 
aLan. ,t P 7 c °mmonly saymg in Comtan.inople that yo. 
bvrn"ve W « confidentially notifad 

Austrian 77 U / t . l ^ n an d Adler, the president of the J 

.. r ° Fa d c a * Constantinople, wrote us the via* I 

net', y wlrIh C ' tar C ° n,cicnce allo "cd me to take this powerful 
news with the utmost calm. 1 

you know me? l | <il | <l ,bi * ,or a tingle moment? Don't J 

C « ,hOUld ,hmk yOU d *“« “ “*« ~ for a gentle 

Bacher immediately backed down. 

poille d'halie, ' A * <nC fr ° m Ac * 1 ol Ublchr * pLay Vn rhifxtu k I 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 477 

“We believed nothing more than that Newlinski played a 
dirty trick while your back and ours were turned. He must have 
used your presence to take money from the Turks.” 

I declared categorically: “I shall get to the bottom of this. In 
Constantinople I always drew a clear line between my capacity 
as an editor of the N. Fr. Pr. and my capacity as a representative 
of the Jewish cause. It was no secret to the Turkish authorities 
that I came there only for the sake of the Jewish cause. My first 
audience with the Grand Virier was devoted exclusively to the 
Jewish cause. Only the second one was an interview in which, 
incidentally, I wasn't any more officious than, for example, 
Schiitz was in Russia recently in his talks with the Russian states- 
men." 

Bacher pursued the matter clumsily: "Tell me everything! 
With whom did you speak?” 

I began: "With the Grand Vizier . . . but quickly caught 
myself and stopped: "I am not going to tell you this. You are an 
opponent of my movement. Open the columns of the S f . Fr. Pr. 
to me and I shall tell everything in public!” 

He shouted: "That I shall never permit. I cannot take your 
point of view. There is no such thing as a Jewish problem, there 
is only a human problem.” 

I: "I pledge myself to explain the matter to our readers with- 
out compromising your point of view. What objection will you 
make to Jewish colonization?” 

He: "I don’t want the Jews to emigrate at all. Incidentally, 
the colonists perish. All the Russian Jews come back.” 

I: Yes, from Argentina, because Hirsch tackled the matter 

badly.” 

He: And the Palestine ones are shnorrert [beggars], all of 

them " 

I: Not true! The Palestine colonies are thriving. Just as you 

don t know this, your readers don't know it. I^et me explain it 
to them.” 

He wavered a bit, but didn’t give in. 

Then I went to Benedikt, who spoke with more sugar-coating. 


478 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HfcRz L 


even declared that neither he nor Bather nor D6czy had had am 
suspicion against me. I had simply been incautious; I would ctr 
tainly know what and whom (Newlinski) he meant. I he con*, 
quence of this incident was that today the N. Ft. Ft. would puk 
lish a furious editorial against I urkey. This was the only 
that gossip could be knocked on the head. 

I closed in on him, too, with the Jewish cause, saying that k 
should let me write a scries of articles. He said that could notbt 
done. They could not give up the Austrian point of view. I tok 
him: "You are a good Jew, aren't you? Why shouldn’t I be able 
to get through to you? An awful lot depends on you. Go aloi| 
with me and thousands will follow. Let me first explain even 
thing that has happened in the past year. Then you will beliew 
me.” 

He said: "We can certainly talk. You know that I enjoy havm| 
a heart-to-heart talk with you." 

In short, the conversation closed on a peaceful note. 

Still, I don’t trust this peace. I had the impression that the 
are afraid of me and have got wind of my newspaper plans. 

Perhaps that slanderous story is only a war ruse against at 
so as to foster the suspicion, in the event that 1 leave, that I w 
dismissed because of some dirty financial matter. Or do the 
want to separate me from Newlinski, i.e., from Ko/mian as 
Badeni? Or make it impossible for me to leave the S. Ft. ft I 

The next days will bring the answer. 

October n 


Last night a serious altercation with Bacher. 

At noon I had told him that I intended to challenge D6ay* 
a duel because of his remark. Earlier still I had spoken with a 1 
colleague Vincenti and asked him if he wanted to be my secoai 
Vincenti pretended a trip, but let me tell him the story "in ct *| 
fidence.” Bacher explained to me that D6czy had only circulate 
some confidential information as a friend (with a "breach of 
ficial sccTecy”). Ddczy’s statement had been friendly in charact® 
toward me as well. And if I challenged DAczy, I would have 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 479 

challenge him — Bacher — as well. I said: "Certainly I would chal- 
lenge you if you said something defamatory about me.” 

However, I dropped the whole thing after Bacher made this 
friendly declaration. 

Meanwhile, Vincenti had blabbed in the "foreign” room. All 
the "foreign boys” were talking about the matter. In the evening 
Bacher sent for me and took me to task furiously: 

"Mister, what have you got in your head? You have committed 
an act of disloyalty by spreading the story about. D6czy could 
lose his job, etc.” 

It did not suit me to have a bad quarrel recorded as the cause 
of my resignation from the N. Ft. Pt. Therefore I answered reso- 
lutely but calmly: "I most firmly reject the charge of disloyalty. 
If Vincenti blabbed in spite of his promise of secrecy, that is not 
my fault. Incidentally, I saw Newlinski this afternoon and didn’t 
mention Dticzy to him. I am convinced that Newlinski, too, had 
absolutely no part in this subvention story. But you will under- 
stand that I could not simply let the matter pass. In your editorial 
of today you demanded the partitioning of Turkey. This puts 
you in the clear, but I’m still in the woods.” 

Thereupon he calmed down and declared that I had not been 
compromised at all. Vincenti came in. was embarrassed because 
his blabbing had caused the fuss, but finally the big row did have 
a peaceful ending. Bacher gave me his hand with his grumpy, 
false good-nature, more than ever bourru malfaisant [a churlish 
trouble-maker]. 

However, I have the impression that they will soon forcibly 
squeeze me out of the paper. That would be a catastrophe, be- 
cause the financial combinations for the founding of my paper 
have miscarried. 


October 1 1 

From Zadoc Kahn I received the information that the Hindi 
people of the Jewish Colonisation Association • are going to meet 


• In Engluh in iht origins!. 


480 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

on the 14th in Paris, but their power is said to be limited by an 
act of Parliament to which the Hirsch Foundation is subject 

I am answering him: 

Reverend Sir: 

At present it is not possible for me to come to Paris. Unfoitu- 
nately I must also doubt that the gentlemen who are going to 
convene there will want to hear what I have to say. 

You will surely recall from my letters how our cause standi, 
since I informed you of some of the main points. This informa- 
tion, coupled with your eloquent presentation, will be enough 
to give the gentlemen a picture of the situation. 

I shall compress the result of my endeavors up to now into a 
few words: All strata of our people are receiving the idea of a 
Jewish State with enthusiasm. In Turkey there is disposition to 
permit colonization on a large scale if a lot is paid for it. 

In the highest government circles of certain countries my plao 
is receiving serious and benevolent consideration. 

If the gentlemen assembled in Paris care to go into the matter 
just as earnestly, I am at their disposal for further information. 

In addition, I make the following positive proposal. Let the 
gentlemen found or buy one large daily paper in London and 
one in Paris. There are papers that yield a good profit and 
on which the Fund would not lose anything. The politics of the 
Jews should be conducted through these papers, for or again* 
Turkey, depending on circumstances, etc. On the outside, t ht 
papers need not be recognizable as Jewish sheets. As editor-in- 
chief for London I recommend Lucien Wolf, for Paris, Bernard 
Lazare. 

I consider this one of the next essential tasks. If the gentle 
men understand what is now going on in Turkey, they will re- 
alize the historical greatness of the moment. 


With sincere respect, 
Herzl. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 481 

October 13 

Today I got a phone call at the office from the Turkish em- 
bassy, saying that they wanted to talk with me in the afternoon. 

I immediately wrote to Mahmud Nedim Pasha, expressing my 
regrets at being unable to call on him. But I would be home all 
afternoon. 

The ambassador replied he had only wanted to deliver a docu- 
ment to me and “have a cigarette” with me. 

The document apparently is the certificate of decoration and 
senes as a pretext to speak with me about the slander affair. 

Probably the anti-Turkish editorial in the N. Fr. Pr. has 
caused consternation in Constantinople, too. 

Once again I become involved in high politics unexpectedly 
and without my doing anything toward it. 

According to a newspaper despatch from Constantinople of 
today's date, the Foreign Minister, Tewfik Pasha, has said that 
Turkey wishes to run a railroad through Palestine and construct 
a passage to India. 

That was my proposal. 

October 13 

I must frankly admit it to myself: I am demoralized. 

From no side help, from all sides attacks. Nordau write* me 
from Paris that nobody stirs there any longer. The M area beans 
in London are more and more Pickwickian, if I may believe the 
reports of my faithful de Haas. In Germany I have only oppo- 
nents. The Russians look on sympathetically while I wear myself 
out, but none of them lends a hand. 

In Austria, particularly Vienna, I have a few adherents. Of 
dx**. the disinterested one* are completely inactive; the others, 

ffie active ones, want to advance their careen through an editor 
of the N. Fr. Pr. 

Added to this is the slander campaign, whose leader appean 
to be the worthy Scheid. 

All the Jews who arc well off 


are my opponents. 


482 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZJ, 

So that I am beginning to have the right to be the biggest of 
all anti-Semites. 

I often think of Levysohn’s words: "Those whom you want to 
help will start by nailing you rather painfully to the cross." 

October 14 

Today I went to see Mahmud Nedim Pasha, the Turkish Am. 
bassador. He received me amiably with the decree of appoint 
ment to the Mejidiye order and said he hojK*d to be able toon 
to hand me the star for my chest as well. 

I acted as though I felt greatly honored. 

We then chatted. Mahmud Nedim again had his funny w* 
of expressing himself: " 1 maginez-vous que vous n'ites pas us 
homme politique et pas un Autrichien, el imaginez que je nt 
suis pas ambassadeur. Lous £tes un Chilien et moi du Perou — tt 
maintenant parlous de la Turquie [Let's pretend that you art 
not a political man and not an Austrian, and that I am not an 
ambassador. You are a Chilean and I am from Peru — and no* 
let’s talk about Turkey]." 

What he meant to say was: let us talk freely. 

So I gave him my opinion freely. I said there was only oot 
salvation for Turkey: an agreement with the Jews regarding 
Palestine. In this way the finances could be straightened out 
reforms carried out, and after a restoration of orderly condition 
any foreign intervention could be permanently forbidden. All 
financial arrangements that are being proposed are short-tens 
expedients and only serve to fill the pockets of a few stock market 
speculators. 

Mahmud Nedim nodded uneasily to this and openly spoke 
about the desperate condition of the state finances. The Turkish 
people were utterly impoverished and no more taxes could be 
levied. Where there arc no resources, the Sultan has lost bit 
rights.* He, Mahmud Nedim himself, completely shared nit 
point of view; he also thought that it would be possible to re 

• Translator'* Note: An amusing play on the German proverb Wo nithu ist. * 
dev Kaiser das Rechi verloren. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 483 

habilitate Turkey with the aid of the Jews. But he said he had 
no influence in Constantinople. He thinks the immigration of 
Jews into Palestine could, in any case, take place only if these 
Jews were willing to become Turkish subjects. 

On the whole, he doesn't really seem to understand what I 
mean. I contented myself with inflaming his imagination by 
sketching with a few strokes a picture of Turkey's resurrection 
with the aid of the Jews. Turkey’s heirvapparent, who are re- 
joicing even now, would be done out of the expected partition. 
La Turquie ichapperait a ses heritiers [Turkey would fool its 
heirs] 1 

Mahmud Nedim had also spoken with me quite openly. He 
said. "For two weeks I have heard nothing from Constantinople. 
That is a good sign. If no turn for the worse is reported of a 
sick man. one may hope again." 

He was quite resigned, the poor ambassador. 

Mahmud Nedim also spoke in a funny way of our religions. 
'The Moslems," he said, "are closer to the Jews than to the 
Christians. Among us anyone who makes an insulting remark 
about Moses or Abraham has his head cut off. Also, we are cir- 
cumcized, like yourselves. You could pass for a Mohammedan, I, 
for a Jew. Christ we don't recognize as the son of God, at least 
not any more than anyone else. To us. all these are prophets." 

October 16 

Today there again is a murder and-hre-alarm article on "Con- 
ditions on the Bosporus" in the Neue Freie Presse. 

October 1 9 

Young de Haas in Ixindon seems to be doing an effective job, 
to judge from his letters. 

He has a hundred stalwarts ,* who call themselves Bnai Zion 
and do plenty of agitating. He wants to win over the llovevei 
Zion (3000 members), and march on from there. The English 

• In tiigltsh in the origiiul. 


484 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

provinces and America, he writes, are attaching themselves to 
his movement. 

I am writing him that I am now trying to obtain an audience 
with the Emperor of Russia. Also, that I have spoken with 
Mahmud Nedim about the Turkish finances and their rehabili- 
tation through Jewish money. I am asking de Haas whether be 
thinks that Montagu and Goldsmid would accept an invitatioo 
from the Sultan to make proposals in Constantinople. 

• • • 

Yesterday I sent Hechler the Russian translation of my pai& 
phlet, which is finished at last, for the Czar. At the same time I 
sketched for him in a few lines what he should write to Duke 
Gunther and Prince Heinrich of Prussia about the financial re- 
habilitation of Turkey and the preservation of the status quo 
with the aid of the Jewish migration. 

• • • 

An item from the Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung of October 18, 
1896: 


“A Hundred and Fifty Millions 
For Zionist Purposes” 

In the Dziennik Polski we found the following item: “One of 
the most outstanding Zionist leaders in Lvov has received a let- 
ter from the well-known author of the pamphlet The Jewish 
State, Dr. Theodor Herzl, with the information that an English 
millionaire has the intention of sacrificing 150 million guilders 
for the restoration of the Palestinian state. However, the mil- 
lionaire first wants to have proof that the Polish Jews are realh 
prepared to emigrate. Dr. Herzl is now asking the Lvov Zionists 
to convene popular assemblies all over the country and collect 
as great a number of signatures as possible to serve him as proof 
and at the same time as a mandate for further negotiations with 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 485 

the above-mentioned millionaire. Dr. Herzl’s letter has given 
rise to tense scenes at a session of the Zionist Executive Commit- 
tee. Some of the members expressed doubts regarding Dr. HerzI’s 
love of truth and demanded that he should first send them the 
original letter from that English Croesus and also prove that he 
really had an audience with the Sultan and received assurances 
that the latter would give the matteT of the founding of a Jewish 
State in Palestine his favorable attention. It was allegedly for 
these reasons that Dr. Herzl was not granted the desired mandate. 
The suspicion remains not unjustified that the Zionists were 
limply aware of the fact that they would not succeed in raising 
the requisite number of signatures.” 

October is 

Letter to Mahmud Nedim Bey:* 

Your Excellency: 

Permit me to express to you my gratitude for the decoration 
which His Majesty has done me the honor of conferring upon me. 

Respectfully yours. 

Dr. Theodor Herzl. 

Enclosed letter to the Sultan:* 

Sire: 

His Excellency Mahmud Nedim Bey has been kind enough to 
deliver to me the patent of decoration which Your Majesty has 
done me the honor of conferring upon me. 

In expressing my profound appreciation for that token of fa- 
vor, I beg Your Majesty to continue to bestow your eminent 
benevolence upon the Jews. On the day when it will please Your 
Majesty to accept the services of the Jews, they will joyfully 
place their forces at the disposal of such a magnanimous monarch. 

I am with the deepest respect. Sire. Your Majesty’s most hum- 
ble and obedient servant 

Dr. Theodor Herzl. 


* In French In the original 


486 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZi 

(The flowery complimentary close at the end,* which may bt 
a bit extreme, I copied from the Usages du Monde (World 
Usage], Section on "lettres a des personnages [letters to impor 
tant people]," by Baroness de Staffe.) 

• In the French original: Jt suis avtc le plus prolond respect, 

Sire, 

De Voire MajesM 

Le tris humble el obtissant senntcur " 



W i* » i+Jtk i « • 






** rr * Ikum uuxit, ri>- r»rfc. 


<**+—+* ; 



Facsimile of part of a letter by Herd to Professor Richard Gottheil, Sn 
York, dated March / 5, 790^. /n it Herd thanks Gottheil for his inwtationts 
come to America and states that Zionum ts only his "secondary occupation 
and that he cannot give up his job on the Neue Freie Preue, because th 
“ secondary occupation ” must not yield him any income . 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 487 


SAub- Wr oju£U~*^ 

SUJ+ttvm mmJ AJm—UrsIt * ** 

. Wfe. 

/X, Tu'k.mtfrux, f. 




"W«. 

■ » ^ . 

£ev^-u. -Vu. 

*-*• 











Facsimile of a letter written by Herd to Professor Richard Gottheil dated 
August so, /90J. /n it Herd invites Gottheil to Alt Aussee . TAr letter is con* 

tmued on page 488. 



October 22 


Yesterday afternoon Kozmian paid me a long visit — and on 
orders from Badeni. Badeni very much wants me to sun a big 
newspaper and regards this as a considerable service for which 
he wants to be very grateful to me. 

I wanted to ulk diplomatically, but Kozmian asked with a 
certain rudeness: 

“What do you want for it? Come right out with it. What do 
you want for yourself, and what for the Jews?” 

He spoke in French, but I changed over to Ciennan, pour faire 
sentir davantage Us nuances [to bring out the shades of meaning 
better]. 

He said:* ‘The government undersunds that you will be ren- 
dering it an invaluable service. You need a politico-social posi- 
tion which is to be created. What are your demands? Seeing that 
it isn't money? Would you like an office, a title, some distinc- 
tion?" 

I said: “It can't be a question of an office if I have to sun a 
paper. Newlinski suggested a decoration for me, the Iron Crown, 
for example." 

"What class?" he asked. 

I said, ‘Third!/’ but should have said "Second." "But that 
isn't the main thing. It is a question of giving something to the 
Jews. For example, a word from the Emperor. Having conferred 
this distinction upon me, he would receive me and give me good 
news for the Jews, with authorization to make it public. What? 
We would agree on that then and there.” 

"That's hard!" said Kozmian. “One can’t make the Emperor 
enter the discussion just like that. The Emperor hasn't any- 
thing against the Jews; he just doesn't like the stock-market gam- 
blen. Badeni is likewise rather a philo-Semite. There certainly 
won t be any more persecutions of the Jews.” 

. 'J 1 ** following con venation tirtwvrn llenl and XounUn it repotted in French 
“» original 


489 


490 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERzl 

I interrupted him: “I’m not afraid of persecution*, that do 
longer exists.” 

He: “Of course, I can’t tell you anything definite as far as the 
Emperor personally is concerned. I’ll talk to Badeni. I’ll tell him 
what you’ve told me. He has a very practical mind. 1 le wants the 
paper before the elections. He will hold the elections in Febnr 
ary or March if he gets the budget passed now'. And if they re- 
fuse, he will hold them right away. Therefore he needs immcdi 
ately a great independent paper which won’t be hostile to him 
but will treat him objectively.” 

I finally said that I would consult with my friends on what 
ought to demand. 

He said that it was difficult to gTant me anything in adsantt 
I could have the promise of the Iron Crown, and Count Radon 
would surely keep this promise even if he had to resign. 

I invited Kozmian to dinner for next Monday. By then I shall 
have spoken with several friends. 

Especially with Dr. Griinfeld, the President of the Israelitudv 
Union, who recently asked me to give a lecture. This time I ac- 
cepted, and so I shall make my first speech in Vienna. Who 
Griinfeld visited me, I took the opportunity of telling him some 
thing about the pending negotiations with Badeni and how w 
now had the chance to found a Jewish party with the aid of the 
government. 

But wed have to have a paper, a paper, and for that one 
needs money, money. I have family funds in the amount of 400,- 
000 guilders at my disposal. But a full million is needed. 

• • • 

Last night I attended a gala party of the Kadiinah. A series of 
ovations. My name was mentioned ahead of the other guests of 
honor; I sat to the right of the chairman and was elected a® 
honorary brother.” All the speakers referred to me. On nr perk 
que de moi Id dedans [ I hey talk about nothing but me in there’ 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 491 

I am only afraid that the intoxication of popularity will be 
followed by a hangover. 

For the moment it is still very nice. 


October 22 

Today's N. Fr. Fr. contains a very poisonous editorial against 
Yildiz Kiosk, Izzet Bey, and Lufti Aga. The article will do a lot 
of harm to me in Constantinople and indirectly perhaps to Jew- 
ish colonist* in Palestine as well. 

The situation has really become untenable. La situation n’est 
pas jranche [The situation is confused]. If only 1 had the money 
for the paper, we would be on top at one bound. 


October 24 

Yesterday Sidney Whitman, a friend of Prince Bismarck, Len- 
bach the painter, the Sultan, and Gordon Bennet, as well as the 
London representative of the New York Herald, came to see me. 
An original person. Appearance: a slouchy Englishman, lanky, 
stooped, and. I think, a bit of a sot. A head with character— a 
grandly conceived nose which suddenly stops before it has ar- 
rived at its planned end. A curious beard, full under the chin, 
square, greying. He speaks an excellent German, in the big- 
mouthed tone of a fault-finder. With a correspondent’s bragga- 
docio he tells about his adventures in Constantinople where he 
was at the time of the Armenian massacres. When he wrote, he 
always had a cocked gun lying on his table, for fear of an^ Ar- 
menian attack, since he was fighting the Sultan s battles. The 
Sultan gave him decorations and handshakes. It was Sidney Whit- 
man who sent the word speeding to Europ>e that the I urks would 
murder all the Christians they could get hold of if the Powers 
intervened. 

This "news" was evidently responsible for the preservation of 
the peace. 



492 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

Whitman is now going to Friedrichsruh to see Bismarck, and 
he will endeavor to interest him in my plan. 

• • • 

Later Dr. Griinfeld brought Dr. Gustav Kohn, an attorney 
and District School Inspector, to see me. Dr. Kohn wants to act 
up the syndicate of financial guarantors for the newspaper which 
is to be founded. The first man he had mentioned was Baron 
Albert Rothschild, whom I rejected outright. The plan is this: 
the Jews found a paper which supports Count Badeni independ- 
ently, and in return for this Badeni adopts an attitude more 
friendly to the Jews. 


October t 6 

Today Kozmian was here for dinner. I was not able to give 
him a definite commitment for Badeni as yet. The latter wano 
the paper very urgently, because of the N. Fr. Pr. which is troo- 
blesome to him and whose virtual monopoly in Vienna he would 
like to break, and on account of the Reichsrat elections. 

November 4 

Part of my mood at this time is a feeling of enervation which 
increases from day to day. Dr. Gustav Kohn is supposed to or- 
ganize the newspaper consortium. Those who decline will per- 
haps not keep silent about it, and so far no one has promised hu 
adherence. Thus I am at the mercy of the dubious discretion of 
unknowns, and every day, when I enter the "Chiefs Room, 1 
am prepared for a declaration of war. 

Kozmian-Newlinski, too, could let something slip. Already tb* 
rumor has circulated around the office that I have bought tbt 
Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung. 


November S 

Yesterday I made my first public speech in Vienna, in th« 
Israelitischc Union. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 493 

Kuhner’s hall was frighteningly full. Because of the oppres- 
sive heat and my deficient preparation for the speech, I not 
in good form, and I did have the feeling of gaps in my thinking 
to the end. Despite this, the success was tempestuous. 

Professor Singer, whom I had annoyed by a reference to the 
social politicians who have now emerged— I referred to the 
Marranos of Spain as religious politicians— immediately an- 
nounced a speech in rebuttal, whereupon I requested that a 
discussion of the latter be scheduled. 

The president of the Union, Dr. Griinfeld, thanked me in his 
speech for explaining what had hitherto been considered a 
Utopia. 


• • • 

I spoke particularly in opposition to the projected Russo- 
French adjustment of Turkey's finances, because this would cut 
off the road to Palestine for us. I am sending this part of my 
speech to de Haas in London today. The main sentence goes as 
follows: 

'The Jewish big bankers who would participate in this, with- 
out consideration for the sufferings of the penniless Jews and 
without using this opportunity to contribute to the solution of 
the Jewish Question, would incur a grave responsibility." 

At the same time I am calling on Haas to agitate against it 
in England and America. He should, together with Rev. G aster, 
Rabbinowicz, Ish Kishor, call a mass protest meeting in the East 
End. 

At the same time 1 am suggesting the raising of a National 
Fund which is to make us independent of the big bankers. 

November 8 

Letter to Adolf Stand in Lvov who has announced himself to 
me as head of the Executive Committee. (In the introduc- 
tion I express the desire for unification of all Austrian Zionist 
associations in the Zionist Federation of Vienna. Then, literally:) 


494 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

“Zionism is now threatened by an enormous danger. Y<* 
know that a Russo-French adjustment of the Turkish finanta 
is being planned. If this comes about, the Sultan will be mtdi- 
atized, incapable of action, and all hope of obtaining Palesunt 
for ourselves will be buried. 

“Therefore the Jewish big bankers must not help to bring tha 
about! 

“Yesterday I spoke against it in the local Union. My speeds 
will appear in Bloch's IVochenschrift. I gave instructions to on 
Committee in England to initiate a big agitation against this 
loan. 

“All that you in Galicia can do is to inform the masses of wha 
is going on. 

“However, I beg you to proceed sensibly and cautiously, as 
that no more such perfidious and ridiculous stories may arise a 
the one in the Dziennik Polski. 

“You are now getting your first opportunity to demonstntt 
your effectiveness as the head of a country's Executive Commit 
tee. 

"Seek contact with the most influential Orthodox rabbis. 

"In my yesterday’s speech, whose dissemination is desirable, 1 
also made a suggestion that is important for the future: 

' In all places where Jews reside, a National Fund should br 
started through collections, donations, etc. The Fund will every 
where remain under the management of those who raised it , « 
conditionally subscribed to it. Only statements of account art 
to be given to the central office. This way the latter will kno» 
what assets can be counted on the moment our plan is camel 
out. And we shall no longer be dependent on the good grace* d 
the big bankers. 

Think over well and carefully whatever you do in carryiH 
out this assignment. 

With Zion's greeting, 

Yours, 

Th. Herzl/ 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 495 

November 10 

A man from Jerusalem named Back came to see me. He is 
traveling around in Europe in order to found an agrarian bank 
for Palestine— a vest-pocket Jewish Company • evidently his vest- 

^°He claims to be under the patronage of the Galician Wonder- 
Rabbi Friedmann. 

• • • 

Dr. Gustav Kohn informs me that his fund raising efforts have 
failed. 

So nothing comes of the great paper; the hopes which were at- 
tached to it are extinguished. 

From this solid centre I could have achieved tremendous 
things. All this has now come to naught. 

• • • 

Levin -Epstein, the administrator of the Rehovoth colony in 
Palestine, came to see me. 

He told me about Scheid, that he was trying to keep the colo- 
nies in economic dependence, and at all costs. 

In Rishon le-Zion. he said, theTe is an official's family for al- 
most every colonist’s family. Therefore, prosperity is out of the 
question. 

In L. Epstein's view, Scheid probably spread those false ru- 
mors in order to offer the Baron an excuse for the failure of the 
baAjAeej/i'bought settlement in the Hauran. 

The Armenian Devleth is said to have acted as baksheesh- 
giver in Constantinople. 


November 1 4 

Today I walked Benedikt home from the office and worked on 
him again. If he would take up the matter, I said, it would be 
accomplished. 

On the way we ran into old coal-Gutmann who said, pounding 

* In Englith In th* original 


496 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERy, 

his paunch pretentiously, that today he had been offered tht 
Wiener Allgemeine Zeitung for purchase. He said that he had 
already invested a lot of money in newspapers, to be sure, but 
might buy it anyway, because 70 people could lose their liveli- 
hood. So he is even performing an act of mercy by buying this 
paper in which his dirty interests are then to be defended. A 
compounded disgrace. 

After we had got rid of this bore, we continued our talk. I 
expounded to Benedikt my “plan for a graduated loan." 

He said: “Things are beginning to clear up. You no longer go 
as far as you used to. Colonization on a large scale — without 
Zionism— is something that can be discussed. We’ll come back to 
it later." 


In the afternoon, Wolffsohn from Cologne called on me, 1 
stalwart, likeable man who had already made a good impressioo 

on me when he had come to sec me the first time some months 
ago. 

1 told him everything. He marveled at my accomplishments in 
Constantinople, London, here, and particularly in Karlsruhe, 
because from Cologne he looks up to the Grand Duke of Baden 
as though to a peak. 

I told him about Scheid’s intrigues, some of which he knew 

a Through Dr. Holtzmann he wants to produce material 
on Scheid s mismanagement. 

I told him about the attitudes of Edmond Rothschild and 
iadoc Kahn. The latter, after all, informed me in his last letter 

a * * * Hirsch people took a more than cool attitude toward 
my undertaking and that it would be best if I dropped the mat- 
ter hencefonh. 

® U ‘ thc Wolffsohn was downright horrified when I de- 
mi* sou ,m ^ ro * ten< ^ ow n negotiations with BadeniKot- 
miiir a . t .J niScr ^ * n l ^ e f act I cannot raise the lousy 
Dr g ‘" dm rc ^ uircd to ^und the gTeat paper and thus to 
C * e su PP° rt °f Badeni, the entire Austrian government. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 497 

One single million guilders! Because of the fact that it is not 
available for the purpose now, the historical moment in which 
the solution of the Jewish Question is possible may be mivsed. 

Badeni needs me now. Even if he still remains m office after 
the Reichsrat elections, he will then no longer need me 
and consequently not push me in Russia as well as in I ur * tc y* 

El la chance est bien manquZe [And the opportunity will really 

be lost]. 

Utter to Grande Duke Vladimir who is staying in Berlin at 
present: 

Your Imperial Highness:* 

His Royal Highness Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria told me in 
July at Carlsbad. "The only man in Russia who could help you 
is Grand Duke Vladimir!" 

What is it all about? 

It is about the solution of a question as old as Christianity, a 
great and beautiful cause, designed to delight the noblest hearts. 
It is the return of the Jews to Palestine! 

I have developed the plan in a pamphlet which has been trans- 
lated into ten languages. I have the honor of presenting to Your 
Imperial Highness a copy of the Russian edition. Since this pub- 
lication I have taken some steps at Constantinople, where 
I have seen the Grand Vizier, and elsewhere. 

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden has done me 
the honor of receiving me at Karlsruhe and has been kind enough 
to take an interest in the cause. 

I respectfully put myself at the disposal of Your Imperial High- 
ness to explain the idea in its entirety, without the restrictions 
necessary in a book. It it easy to get information about me — I am 
an editor of the \eue Freie Preise of Vienna — and to find out if 
I am embarrassing, if there it any reason to fear the slightest in- 
discretion on my part. 

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden can tell you. 


• In French in the origin*] . 



498 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

If Your Imperial Highness is kind enough to accord me the fa. 
vor of receiving me, I shall come to Berlin, to St. Petersburg, it 
does not matter where. 

The solution of the Jewish Question is a superb project. 

The Jews can come to the aid of the broken-down finances o( 
Turkey. This would facilitate the reforms that are indispensable 
for the relief of the unfortunate Christians in the Ottoman Em- 
pire. For countries where people would like to see the Jews move 
out, it would be a relief no less beneficial. 

The masses of penniless Jews accept the idea with enthusiasm; 

I have many proofs of this. 

Nearly the whole world would be satisfied; so it is the solution! 

I am with the deepest respect 

Your Imperial Highness’ humble and obedient servant, 

Dr. Theodor HenI 
November 15, 1896 

(Complimentary close, compare p. 486.)* 

To His Imperial Highness, 

Grand Duke Vladimir, 

Berlin. 

November 17 

In the Jewish World an extract from my Union speech appean 
under the heading “The Jewish State. Dr. Herzl Throws Light 
on His Scheme.” 

I am sending this clipping to the Grand Duke of Baden, to- 
gether with the following letter: 

Your Royal Highness: 

Although I have not had the distinction of receiving a reply 
to my respectful letter which I sent you a few months ago, I p^ - 
mit myself to revert to the Jewish Question once more. 

The enclosed clipping from a London newspaper will g* vf 
Your Royal Highness in brief the present state of the matter. 
There is truly something miraculous about the development 

• translator* Notr See miry of October it 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 499 

of the movement for the return of the Jews. Received with en- 
thusiasm by the penniless and young Jews, this idea has already 
spread around the world, as is evidenced by countless manifesta- 
tions of support. And at the same time the idea can also serve 
to resolve the present Turkish difficulties. 

It is to the greatest interest of those Powers who desire the 
maintenance of the status quo and at the same time the < leaning 
up of conditions in Turkey that the projected RussoTrench 
financial adjustment not come about. For in actuality that would 
be a Russian annexation of Turkey, similar to the protectorate 
which Russia managed to secure over China through financial 
intervention after the Japanese war. 

This supposed adjustment would amount to a fresh stock- 
exchange speculation from which France (in evacuated Egypt) 
and Russia would gain all the political advantages and a few 
stock-market jobbers the financial ones, while in Turkey every- 
thing would remain the way it has been. 

In contrast, the national Jewish arrangement means — quite 
apart from the worldwide and promised fulfillment that it em- 
bodies — a genuine restoration of Turkey. The return of the 
Jews is the protection of the Christians in the Orient. 

Royal Highness! I have only poor words at my dispersal to 
influence the will of the mighty of this earth. Perhaps today 
I have hit upon the tone that convinces. If the German Kaiser’s 
good, wise counsellor recommends to him that he listen to me. 
His Majesty will summon me to Berlin for a secret conference. 
Infinitely much would Ire gained by this. 

When I was in Karlsruhe. Your Royal Highness graciously 
permitted me to report from time to time about my work on 
the Jewish cause. For fear of being burdensome in the future, 
with today’s letter I shall terminate the use which I have been 
making of this permission if I do not receive any sign of en- 
couragement. 

In deepest respect for Your Royal Highness I remain 

Gratefully yours. 

Dr. Theodor Hervl. 


500 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

December i 

Dr. Rothfeld of Pest tells me about a rumor which circulated 
there. People said that for the publication of The Jewish State 
I had received a large honorarium from an English land company 
that wants to do some business in Palestine. 

This is how incredible it appears to our Jews that someone 
could do something out of conviction. 

December i 

Letter to Hechler for Lord Salisbury: 

Dear Friend: 

Your view that I ought to expound the Jewish plan to Lord 
Salisbury seems to me to be right. However, I don't want to 
approach him directly. If you think it proper, you will bring the 
contents of this letter to his attention. 

For you, my dear friend, the Jewish cause is a theological mat- 
ter. But it is also a political one, and a very timely one. You 
know that religious feelings, and, most recently, anti-Semitism 
which is emerging everywhere, have aroused a strong yearning 
for Palestine among the broad masses of the Jews of all countries. 
As you know, hundreds of thousands are ready for immediate 
migration and it may be surmised that hundreds of thousands 
more would follow them later. 

This is a factor — a new one, to be sure — which English policy 
in the Orient could and should reckon with. Ixird Salisbury 
could execute a masterly stroke with it. With the present situa- 
tion of the world, one dominated by the Russo-French entente, 
a partition of Turkey would put England at a serious disadvan- 
lage. For England such a partition would be a loss now; there- 
fore she must desire the status quo. It can be preserved only if 
Turkey s finances are straightened out. This is why Russia has 
just frustrated the proposed financial arrangement. Russia wants 
the decay and sel dissolution of Turkey. 

Now, there is a method of straightening out the Turkish 
finances and thus preserving the status quo for a while longer, 
and at the same time of creating a new route to India, the short- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 501 

est one for England. And all this without England’s having to 
lay out a penny or committing herself visibly anywhere. 

This method is the creation of an autonomous Jewish vassal 
state in Palestine, similar to Egypt, under the suzerainty of the 
Sultan. As you know, I laid the groundwork for this last summer 
when I was in Constantinople. The matter is possible if we have 
the backing— and I repeat expressly, the invisible backing— of 
a Great Power. Since the Sultan is still the undisputed sovereign, 
no power can prevent him from inviting the Jews to immigrate 
into Palestine. In return for this we would obtain for him a big 
loan on the tribute which is to be paid by the Jews and will have 
been secured in advance. 

England's advantage would be that a railroad would immedi- 
ately be built across Palestine from the Mediterranean to the 
Persian Gulf, or connecting with the railroad, soon made neces- 
sary by communication needs, through Persia and Baluchistan 
(possibly Afghanistan) to India. 

England would have these benefits sans bourse dtlier [without 
expense] and without the world's learning of her participation. 
While, in the North, Russia is preparing a railway line to .Asia, 
in the South, England would have a neutral reserve route to 
India, in case difficulties arose at the Suez Canal. 

Should Lord Salisbury wish to examine this idea more closely, 
I am at the disposal of his ambassador or of himself in london 
if he tends for me. 

If he considers the matter too fantastic, I can only regret it. 
But the movement really exists, and a skillful, great statesman 
will know how to utilize it. 

With cordial regards. 

Yours faithfully, 
Theodor Here). 


December 1 1 

On my way to the office today at noon I ran into Newlinski. 
Since the failure of the project to found a paper he now always 


502 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

has a good-natured, roguish grin on his face when he sees me 
This means: “You’ve put one over on me! 1 fell for it, but I 
don't hold it against you, because you were so clever about it,” 

Je lui remets toujours du coeur au ventre [I always put hean 
into him]. I tell him: "It’s a bad period in our work. Just be 
patient. We shall weather it. One recognizes one’s friends by 
the fact that they don’t begin to waver in difficult times.” 

He always winds up by assuring me that he is holding fast— 
and then he adds ironically: “I am your sole adherent.” 

He told me that Izzet Bey has fallen fToiu the Sultan s grace. 
He has not been received in ten days. Tahsim Bey now seemi 
to be on top. Newlinski wrote to the latter that he should repeat 
the Jewish proposal to the Sultan. '1 here is talk of Rhagib Bej 
as Izzet’s probable successor. 

• • • 

The Danish literary light Georg Brandes acknowledges re 
ceipt of The Jewish State in an evasively polite letter. He tells 
me the old anecdote about the banker who would like to become 
the Jewish ambassador at Berlin. 

I am sending him an ironical reply: I had expected a difierent 
reaction from him to the beautiful idea of a Jewish renaissance 
I did not believe the idea would be realized the way 1 had out- 
lined it in my pamphlet. But I did believe that a Jewish State 
will come into being, with a partial continuation of the Diaspora, 
because all peoples now live in such a diaspora. 

December is 

Hechler came to see me and brought me a newspaper clipping 
to the effect that the German Kaiser will go to Palestine new 
autumn. 

We agreed that I shall write him, Hechler, a letter intended 
to be submitted to the Kaiser. The moment, to be sure, is not 
propitious. The scandal trial which followed in the wake of the 
falsification of the Breslau Czar toast has probably put the Kai*t 
in a bad mood and made him suspicious of journalists. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 503 

December 15 

1 read in the morning paper that the former Prussian Minister 
of War Verdy du Vemois has arrived here. 

I am writing him as follows: 

Your Excellency: . . v 

In August I learned from a gentleman who had met ^our 

Excellency in Therapia that you are interested in my outline 

for Jewish migration to Palestine. 

I have just read in the paper about your presence in \ lenna. 
If the first-mentioned information was correct, I request the 
honor of being received by Your Excellency. From my pamphlet 
The Jewish State the present status of this great cause cannot 
be apprehended. A great deal has happened in the meantime, and 
a lot has — malgri moi (despite myself]— been neglected, too. 
This movement, which people underestimate, circles the globe 
today. The blessing it contains, and not only for the Jews, is as 
yet not being appreciated. 

If I were granted the opportunity of having a thorough talk 
with your Excellency on the subject, I could give you certain 
information which is not suitable for publication: and, above 
all, I am hoping for advice from such an expert on the Orient 
as yourself. 

I do not have to tell you that no journalistic indiscretion needs 
to be feared from me in a matter so sacred to me. I am at your 
disposal whenever and wherever you please. I can be reached 
through the telephone number it 187 at my private residence, 
Vienna IX. Berggasse 6 . Your hotel clerk can call me up there. 
In any case, I shall be at home this afternoon until four o'clock. 
Once again I make the proviso of the first report men- 
tioned above; if it was incorrect, kindly excuse me and regard 
this letter as non avenu [not arrived). 

With the expression of my high esteem, 

I am. Your Excellency, 


Respectfully yours. 
Dr. Theodor Herzl. 


504 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

The messenger brought this letter back from the Hotel Bristol 
— the general had already departed. Non avenu, then. Into the 
waste-basket. 

December 14 

Hechler has received a mild reprimand from Lord Salisbury 
for sending him my letter: “ Lord S. cannot grant Dr. Herd to 
interview him." * 

The only interesting thing about this refusal is the English 
business-like way in which the "return of the Jews" • is men- 
tioned. 

December to 

1 feel myself getting tired. More frequently than ever I now 
believe that my movement is at an end. I am fully convinced 
of its feasibility, but cannot overcome the initial difficulties. 

Only one million guilders would be needed to put the move 
ment squarely on its feet. This bagatelle (considering the great- 
ness of the cause) is wanting — and that is why we shall have to 
sleep although it is daylight. 

Decern tier 1 1 

Ran into Giidemann, who has been evading me for months, 
on Herrengasse. He passed so close to me that we had to stop. 

He acted piqued because I no longer called on him; after all. 
he said, he had followed my call to Munich, had introduced me 
to Adler in London, etc. 

I told him gruffly and point-blank: "You’ve turned tepid 
and vapid— so I’ve simply given you the cold shoulder.’’ 

He would like to have a "heart-to-heart talk’’ with me again. 

I shall confront him with a dilemma: for or against! 

• In English in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 505 

January 6, 1897 

So we have moved on into the year 1897— one of tire ’critical’’ 
years of my friend Hechler. 

I have become lax in keeping this diary. Many a day brings 
something worth recording, but the general torpor of the 
movement is gradually getting into my bones too. Besides. 

I write numerous letters, for I reply to everyone; and answering 
these letters blunts my slight desire to write. 

I receive visitors from all over the world. The road from 
Palestine to Paris is beginning to pass through my room. Among 
the more interesting people who passed through in the last few 
weeks were: Schoub from Palestine, a tall, full-bearded man 
with the eyes of a visionary; Dr. Hol/mann from Berlin, who 
brought along some of Berlin Jewry's pettiness in his dress; 
Landau from Przemysl, an intelligent semi-Hassid with peyes 
[ear-locks] brushed behind his ears; and Dr. Sail from Tarnow, 
who resembles Newlinski with his pale reddish moustache which 
droops in Polish fashion, his bright eyes, and his big bald pate. 

To each of these four I gave assignments. Schoub is to speak 
with the Sultan’s Jewish personal physician, whose name is 
Eliahu Pasha, if I still remember correctly. 

Dr. Holzmann is to write to the B'nai Moshe in Jaffa, with 
whom he is affiliated, and tell them how matters stand and that 
without means for agitation in the press our cause will bog down 
completely. 

Landau bom Przemysl offered to negotiate with the Wonder- 
Rabbi Friedmann of Czortkow. I gave him a letter in which I 
invite Friedmann to send me his son. 

To Dr. Salz I outlined the present state of our affairs, which 
could beroroe great the moment we had a million for purposes 
of publicity. 

And this is how things really are. With that million a gTeat 
newspaper could be created. With such a gTeat paper govern- 
ments negotiate as one Power with another. 

I fear the best moment has passed. That came in the months 


506 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

that have gone by since my stay in Constantinople, when Izzct 
Bey was still the Sultan’s favorite and I was still able to negotiate 
with the pashas on the basis of my initial prestige. 

The financial arrangement through French bankers hangs over 
Zionism like a threatening cloud. Our only chance lies in the 
repugnance of the Porte to the interference of foreign ftnancien 
who are backed by the Great Powers, and in the policy of Russia 
which would like to see Turkey rot alive like a leper. 

Meanwhile, unless I am mistaken, Zionism is gradually manag- 
ing to gain the respect of the general public in all sons of coun- 
tries. Little by little people are beginning to take us more seri- 
ously. 

The well-to-do Jews, it is true, behave miserably now as be 
fore. And as my loyal de Haas writes from London, "everybody 
is waiting to see how the cat will jump." * 

I frequently talk about the cause with Benedikt. Before Christ- 
mas, when he asked me if I didn't know a good subject for a 
holiday anicle for him, I said: "Oh yes, write about the solution 
of the Jewish Question through the colonization of Palestine, 
which would also be a settlement of the Oriental problem 
through a restoration of Turkish finances.'* 

He remarked: "1 hat would be a fine article, to be sure, and 
a success, too. But today I can no longer write such an anicle. 
because your pamphlet is available in which you speak about 
the Jewish nation.” 

I replied: All right, so you don’t write the article this year— 

perhaps you will write it at Christmas time next year. We can 
wait.” 

I *as with Gudemann the evening before last. Again the old 
rigmarole. He still acted as though he were offended. But when 
I filled him with enthusiasm again in the course of my reason- 
ing he said: ”1 am all yours!" 

All right, I said, "then preach about it in the synagogue!’ 
I beg your pardon," he cried quite horrified, "that can’» 

• In F.nglUh in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 507 
be done. I’ve kept my cars open; people don’t want to have any- 
thing to do with it. . 

"Are you the shepherd of your flock?" I asked him. I permit 

you to be as discreet as you please. For all I care, you can speak 
out against Zionism, but don’t keep silent about it. One can bring 
something to people's attention by combating it clumsily, and 
in many other ways. This is the art of oratory.” 

But the unctuous creature, whom I know quite well by now, 
merely wrung his hands and wailed that it was impossible. 

So 1 said to him. "Stay well!” and left him, probably for the 

last time. 

• • • 

A new figure has emerged in my combinations: the painter 
Koppay, whom 1 have known for twenty years. He has done 
several portraits of the Empress of Russia as well as of other 
crowned heads. 1 should like to make him an agent of my idea 
and pay him with publicity. It will be the first time that I have 
made propaganda for someone; the cause is worth it. I am 
going to Kop|>ay today. 

January 7 

The Koppay idea is taking a funny development. I went to 
ire him yesterday. An up to-date 9 artist's studio, a bit fixed up 
for glitter. The master has faded — physically, that is — since I 
first knew him. But he is a capable artist and, I think, a decent 
fellow, too. 

He did not paint the Empress of Russia recently, but when 
she was the Princess of Hesse. It is a quite ordinary art dealers’! 
trick that presents him as the painter of the Empress's portrait. 

The pictures of the Empress are elaborations of sketches which 
he once made at Darmstadt. 

Nevertheless, I want to use Koppay, and all the more now. 

The Princess had smiled when he had mentioned the rumor 

1 loglkh in the original. 


508 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZI 

to her that she was going to become Empress of Russia. He had 
said jokingly: “If Your Highness becomes Empress, you mu« 
make me court painter!" And she had smilingly agreed. 

Now I want to beat the big drum for him to become coun 
painter; and when he is. he will have to serve the Jewish a* 
at the Russian court. 

I must manufacture my own instruments with which I shall 
then do the work. 

Will he not forget his moral obligation after I have made hiaf 
I shall risk ingratitude anyway. 

January to 

Newlinski joined me for breakfast today. 

He informed me that the Sublime Pone was “angry" at tat 
because I was not coming through with the press support whid 
I had promised in Constantinople that time. In fact, it u.noe 
believed that the attacks of the European press on the Tint* 
government were emanating from me. out of revenge for their tw 
wanting to sell Palestine to us. 

This erroneous assumption of the Turks would not displt* 
me, because it would be proof that I am regarded as a po»e 
there. I believe, however, that Newlinski, who gave me this a 
formation with diplomatically lowered eyes, would only lib 
to extort small journalistic favors which he will then probabfl 
have booked to his own credit. 

I told him that the promise of press support was. of count 
only a conditional one. If Turkey entered into negotiations 
us, we would defend her in the newspapers. Dormant, donam 
[Give and take]. We don’t want to be the dupes of the I urbi 
policy of promises without real performance. 

Newlinski said: "If Turkey is attacked in the papers, it 
probably turn anti-Semitic." 

I am not afraid of that. If the Porte becomes anti-Semiik- 
will provoke all stock-exchanges against itself and will ne*® 
again get any money. Then all the big bankers will li** * 
behind me, too. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 509 

January 18 

L’itat juif [The Jewish State] has appeared in Madame Rat- 
laai’s Souvelle Revue Internationale of January », 1897. 

After it had been impossible to place the tract at all in France 
for a year, it now seems to be making a great stir. 

Today three Paris friends sent me the Libre Far ole of January 
16 in which Drumont gets off a highly flattering editorial about 
me and promises more. 

It was a good idea that I prevailed upon old Madame Rat- 
tazzi, to publish the pamphlet when she was here and got me 
to see her about some advertising. 

Now Alphonse Rothschild, too, the most faithful reader of 
the Libre Parole, will take cognizance of the matter. After all, 
the haute finance [high finance] reads nothing but this whiplash 
paper 

January s6 

This morning the N. Fr. /V. received the new* that the finan- 
cial arrangement with Turkey “undeT the guarantee of all 
Powers" has been completed. 

At hrst I didn't believe it and telephoned to Newlinski who 
only affirmed: "C'est mauvais pour nous [It’s bad for us]." 

Then F. Sthtitz came to see me. He also doubts the story, 
because he has news from Russia according to which the Russian 
government declined to respect the wishes of the French hnan- 
den (who desire this arrangement). In fact. Schiitz added that 
the new Minister Muraviev was going to Paris on an inaugural 
visit only in order to strengthen the Mdline administration. 
And after such a visit the stock -exchange could not dare to make 
anti-Russian demonstrations. 

Meanwhile, in the evening funher despatches arrived from all 
over saying that the arrangement had been completed. To begin 
•nth, the Turks are to be given four million pounds. In any case, 
*bey are "above water." Still, there is something good in this bad 
turn of affairs. The arrangement meant a funher increase in the 


510 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

power of that dette publique [public debt], which, as it U, ^ 
already a thorn in the Sultan's flesh as well as that of all pasha 
This will make the dette publique even more hated, and the 
money that the Turks are getting has long been earmarked am 
way. Therefore it won’t last too long, and the dtche [beggary 
will be there again. 

Mr. Char-riant, the secretary of Madame Rattazzi, who arriwi 
here from Constantinople today and wanted to see me, called « 
me. 1 have a cold and therefore cannot go to sec Mine. Raiuai. 
Charriant told me Izzet Bey still was in the Sultan’s favor, ash 
learned six days ago from the French ambassador Cambon. 

Later Sidney Whitman and Newlinski came to see me. Sidnn 
wants to push my Jewish State, which he read only recently 
through the New York Herald. (J’allais le lui demander f I va 
going to ask him to].) 

Newlinski spoke about the financial arrangement with biufl 
verve. 

The pashas, he said, will take it as a real insult. For the mono 
will go to its real destination. They will consider it an outraged* 
loan which has not been made for Djavid Bey and Izzet Bey, at 
Danusso and Take Margueritte will fall from gTacel It is ® 
heard-of. 

So he joked with magnificent cynicism. 

He also said that before Ramadan everything could be 
with a tenth part of the money. That’s when they needed moor 
for the officials, the soldiers, and the feasts. Then 100,000 pound) 
were as much as a million at other times. 

Newlinski went on to tell some amusing details about ti* 
mismanagement at the Porte. Hassan Pasha, the Minister of tk 
Navy, pockets everything. He sells the copper boilers from tb 
ships and has the medicinal wines of the hospitals stored in b 3 
own cellars. The toll from the bridge between Stambul ^ 
Calata is remitted to the Navy Ministry — i.e., *5 million frant* 

The civil list is based on the toll revenue; however, in the b* 
20 years it has declined from three million pounds to one mill** 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 511 

Newlinski tells such things in a peculiarly grand lone. He is 
no ordinary person. 

January 17 

The Turkish loan is being denied by some papers. The 
S. Fr. Pr. is upholding the news, which incidentally, did not 
come from Paris, but the local Foreign Office. The fact of the 
matter is that the ambassadors at Constantinople have agTecd on 
the loan. From that to the completion of the agreement is still a 

big step. 

1 hope that the Sultan will not stand for this and that the 
pashas, who did not receive any baksheesh, will remind him of 
his threatened Caliph’s dignity. 

The only true thing seems to be that the Banque Ottomane 
has given an advance of 300.000 pounds. With this the T urks 
will hold their Ramadan and sing the praises of Allah. 

The boys at the Ottoman Bank, for their part, will play around 
at the stock exchange for a few months with this news of a loan. 
Now the loan is going to come about, now it is going to fall 
through. This is going to supply the desired boom and slump. 
In this way they will amply compensate themselves for the 
gamble of the fresh advance of 300,000 pounds — at least the 
“house" will. 

The gogos [sucker investon] will lie fleeced one way or the 
other. The yellow press will accompany this game by thumping 
the tom toms. 

January «8 

Sidney Whitman pays me a call every day and sits with me 
by the hour. He wants to promote the Jewish cause in the New 
York Herald. 

The strange thing is that he seems only now to be getting 
acquainted with the matter. I had thought last July that he was 
"wking for me. 


512 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

In the N. Fr. Pr. we had a feuilleton by Flammarion: “Is Man 
Inhabited?” At the office they were discussing Mars. Bacher u«j 
to me in a superior tone: "Maybe you can set up your Jewuh 
State on Mars." 

Laughter among the smart boys. 


January is 

Today Dr. Bloch called on me in order to ask me "as the pam 
boss” for support of his candidacy for the Reichsrat froa 
Sereth-Suczawa (I think). 

I had predicted this supplicating visit of his some time ago. 

January 19 

Bloch’s appearance gave me the idea of sending a Zionist dele 
gate to Parliament. 

I sent for Schnirer and Kokesch to discuss Bloch's rcques. 
Berkowicz happened to come along too. All three agreed tfaa 
Bloch must not be supported. They said he was unreliable and 
had always behaved badly toward us. 

My proposal to seek a seat for a Zionist was received with ap 
proval. I named Prof. Leon Kellner who had recently madei 
speech before "Zion” at my request. However, they wanted me to 
be the candidate, saying that my election was assured in Galka 
and would cost much less than that of Kellner or anyone eht 
I declined outright and categorically. 

Thereupon they accepted Kellner as a candidate. I had Dr 
Salz of Tamow and Stand of Lvov invited to Vienna for an elet- 
tion conference on Tuesday. We shall look for a constituent* 
and send our young people there as campaigners. The proble* 
remains of how to obtain election funds. 

• • • 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 513 
"The Palestine Pilgrimage.” • 

To the Editor of the Jewish World. 

cjj.^The "Message” of Dr. Herzl to an East End meeting, 
paling with this scheme, is so charged with that intense zeal 
and enthusiasm which marks all the utterances and proceedings 
of this remarkable man. that it seems almost a pity to have to 
repudiate some of the ideas which he has gathered — I know not 
where— about the movement. 

It is due, however, to those who are taking part in the Pilgrim- 
age to say, that they have no such far-reaching scheme on foot as 
Dt. Herzl’s fervid imagination would attribute to them, and 
that they have neither political objects to serve, nor even scientific 
researches to make, in connection with their visit. 

The Pilgrimage is what its name denotes, and not an "Ex- 
pedition" nor an "Investigation Commission," as Dr. Herzl sug- 
gesu; and it will have served its purpose, if it enlarges the interest 
of Western Jews in the land with which their history and tradi- 
tions are so intimately bound up, and if it operates as an en- 
couragement to similar pilgrimages in future years, so that the 
reproach that Palestine is less visited by Jews than by any other 
denomination may be removed from our people. 

I hope you will permit me to take the opportunity to say that 
the success of the Pilgrimage is now assured by the adhesion 
of the necessary numbers; and it is hoped that our party will be 
completed up to its maximum limit (50) within the next few 
weeks.— 1 am, Sir, yours faithfully 

Herbert Bentwich. 

The Holm, Avenue Road, N. W. 

*7th January, 1897. 


February 4 

Fresh unrest on Crete. This news gives me a peculiar presenti- 
ment: that it may be the beginning of the liquidation of Tur- 

• Tlw following u in F.ngliah in the original 


514 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OP THEODOR HERZL 

key. With these Cretan disturbances, which evidently have again 
been arranged diplomatically, I connect the last extraordinary 
Berlin journey of our Minister Goluchowski who is taken far 
an English go-between, as well as the trips to Paris and Berlin 
of the Russian Minister Muraviev. 1 have a presentiment. I 
don’t know why. 

February \ 

I am writing to de Haas in London that he should try to hau 
the South African goldmine billionaire Bamaio won over to our 
cause through the Sephardic Chief Rabbi Gaster. 

February 5 

In our election conferences we have reached the conclusion 
that Kellner would have less chance of being elected than Dt 
Salz. I was importuned from all sides to run and told that nn 
election was certain. However, I declined. 1 think that if I had 
relented, the same people who tried to persuade me would haw 
inwardly despised me. 

We finally decided to nominate Kellner and Salr— Kellnn 
in the Drohobycz city district, Salz in the fifth (general) legisli 
tive-assembly district of Kolomea. 

• • • 

Jewish Chronicle, February 5 

Correspondence * 

"The Palestine Pilgrimage.” 

Sir: — The correction by Mr. Herbert Bentwich, who wishes* 
lead a pilgrimage to Palestine on a much narrower program®* 
than I believed his intention to be, compels me also to say a fa* 
words. Mr. Bentwich envelops the thorn in a rose-leaf, »t*L ‘ 
feel it. He means that in my letteT to the East End meeting I P* 

• In English in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 515 

the matter upon an impossible plane. How has that come about? 
1 was requested, from London, to write a letter on Mr. Bent* 
wich’s expedition. This letter was to be read in public, in order 
to make the Pilgrimage and its objects widely known. I wrote 
the wished-for letter on hints which I had received from I>ondon. 
In it 1 said nothing either impossible or fantastic. On the con- 
trary, I recommended the greatest possible sobriety. Apart from 
this, 1 requested the recipient of my letter, for greater precau- 
tion, to communicate my letter to Mr. Bentwich. before giving it 
publicity. In this way I thought to prevent any possible mis- 
understanding. It, however, appears that my precautionary meas- 
ures were not closely followed. 

I feel bound to make this communication, as he who, as I am, 
is accused in any case of too lively an imagination in my scheme, 
can really not be sufficiently careful. 

As for the rest, there is a difference of a few degrees of warmth 
between Mr. lien t wich’s scheme and that sketched out by me. 
It is enough for me that he is not at freezing-point, and I can 
assure him that my blood does not boil. 

Yours obediently, 
Th. Herd. 

Vienna. February 1st, 1897. 

• • • 

Jewish World, February 5 
"An ex-premier on Dr. Herd's Scheme." • 

His Excellency Prince Demeter Stourdza, who, to within two 
months ago, was the Minister-President of Rumania, has been 
interviewed by the Sperial Vienna Correspondent of the Paris 
edition of the New York Herald. After a talk on Continental 
politics, the interviewer says: "Our conversation finally look a 
*um towards the affairs of Austria proper, the coming elections, 
die growth of anti-Semitism, and the proposal put forward in 
connection therewith by a Dr. Theodor Herd, a doctor -of-law in 

In Engliah In iht original. 


516 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Vienna, which has already the sympathetic approval of Zionist* 
in all countries, for founding a Jewish State in Palestine. His 
Excellency expressed himself as follows:— I consider this an ex- 
cellent idea: in fact I may say the one and valuable way of 
solving the Jewish Question. (It must be borne in mind that 
Rumania has an enormous Jewish population.) The Jews are the 
one people who, living in foreign countries, do not assimilate 
with the inhabitants as others do. The causes of this are neither 
here nor there, but the very fact of the Jews at last forming a 
State of their own would completely alter the present anomalous 
condition of things, even if a large number were to remain be 
hind in Europe.” 


February so 

Again a period during which 1 was not in the mood to enter 
anything in this diary. 

Yet every day brings something. 

In the last few weeks I have repeatedly been urged to run for 
the Reichsrat. In Galicia I am offered three seats as certain: 
Kolomea, Drohobycz, Stanislau. 1 stick to my refusal. 

Among the visitors of recent days Prince Friedrich Wrcde 
is notable, a young dabbler in literature who would like to tet 
himself in print in the literary section of the N. Fr. Pt. Smcr 
I would like to have my project discussed in high aristocratic 
circles, I took the trouble to tell him everything. 

He said: *'\Ve need the Jews, because there must always be 
discontentment. If people did not rail against the Jews, « 
would have a revolution.” 

This confession was downright charming in its naivetl. 

• • • 

Yesterday Dr. D'Arbela from Jerusalem came to see me. Hr 
is the director of the Rothschild hospitals. An interesting per** 
who looks like a cavalry colonel — tall, bold nose, moustache, 
energetic chin. He told me wonderful things about Palestine* 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 517 
which is to be a magnificent country, and about our Jews 

from Asia. 

Kurdish, Persian, Indian Jews come to his office. Strange: 
there are Jewish Negroes who come from India. They are the 
descendants of slaves who were in the service of the expelled Jews 
and adopted the faith of their masters. 

In Palestine one sees not only Jewish agricultural workers 
and day laborers of all kinds, but Mountain Jews and Jews from 
the steppes who have a bellicose air. 

We are popular among the Arabs and Kurds. Quarreling Arabs 
occasionally go to a Jew rather than to a Turkish judge to have 
their disputes settled. 

All Palestine talks about our nationalist plan. After all, we are 
the hereditary lords of the land. The Turkish occupation forces 
of Jerusalem are weak at present — about Goo men. 

Even now the Jews constitute the majority of Jerusalem's 
inhabitants, if I understood D'Arbela aright. We spoke so 
quickly and about so many things that I did not even go more 
closely into this point. 

The climate is excellent, the soil not barren, only the humus 
layer has been washed into gorges from mountains where once 
theTc were terraces of fruitfulness. 

Now oranges are blooming in Palestine. 

Everything can be done in that country. 

We shall make a note of this splendid man for future assign- 
ments. 

I told him that at the Zionist Convention in Zurich at the 
end of August I shall also put the question of the Haluka on 
the agenda. The Haluka shall be changed to assistance par U 
travail [public works]. D'Arbela will work up a report about 
conditions up to the present, make proposals, and get together 
a committee in Palestine for the reorganization of the Haluka. 

February > i 

Yesterday I ran into Newlinski at the theater. 

He considers the situation which Greece has created on Crete 


518 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 

— actually, the fait accompli of breaking away — very seri- 
ous, the beginning of the end of Turkey. The prospects for the 
Jews will then be bad. Russia is against us. 

He told me — I don’t know whether I should believe it— that 
he had spoken with the local ambassador Mahmud Nedim about 
having my friends procure for the Sultan, who is now in the 
greatest financial embarrassment, a loan of 2-300,000 pounds 
sterling. Mahmud Nedim telegraphed this to Yildiz Kiosk and 
received the reply that he must not have any dealings with me, 
because I had made the demand for an independent Palestine. 

Newlinski also told me that 250 families had just been denied 
settlement in Palestine. The poor people had to turn to the 
shores of the Red Sea. 


• • • 

Prince Wrede sent me his play, which shows great talent 
I did him an injustice when I took him for only a dilettante. 
I am all the more pleased at his writing me that he intends to 
include my whole Jewish plan in his novel Israel. 


March 9 

A few days ago Prince Wrede sent me from Salzburg an article 
about The Zionists" which I was supposed to send to the 
Munchener Allgemcine Zeitung or the Kolnische Zeitung. The 
article will presumably cause a stir because of the name of its 
author. I had it offered to the Kolnische Zeitung through Sidney 
Whitman. Results still pending. 


March 10 

If nothing happens, I am too ill-humored to enter anything 
tn this notebook. If something happens. I have no time for iL 
n this way many moods and events are lost which could be 
o interest to myself and to others at some future time. 

On Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of March a few Zion- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 519 

ists from Berlin were heTc, as well as Dr. Salz from Tamow and 
Dr. Ehrenpreis from Diakovar. 

The Berliners came to discuss a proposal to found a big pub- 
lishing house, for which I was to raise 300,000 guilders among ray 
acquaintances, provided they raised 700,000 for the purpose. 

Those who came were Willy Barubus of Berlin, Dr. Thon, 
Dr. Bimbaum of Berlin, Moses of Katowice, Turow of Breslau. 

Turow is a shy and confused scoffer, and. incidentally, under 
the pseudonym Paul Dnuidow, the author of a pamphlet, Wo 
hmaus [What Way Out\} 

Bimbaum was more self-assured and inwardly more hostile 
toward me than ever. He wanted my financial and moral support 
for his candidacy in the election district of Srreih-Suczawa- 
Radautz, a candidacy tliat had been offered to me as well, which 
I refused and he undertook at the last moment. Considering the 
late date — there is only one week to the election — I denied him 
my support, because an unsuccessful attempt could compromise 
the mystical prestige of our movement in Galicia. He will never 
forgive me for tlm No. Incidentally, just for the sake of being 
elected he wanted to make personal compromises with social 
politicians. Social Democrats, and others, and run as a representa- 
tive of a Jewish People’s Party (which does not even exist). 

Dr. Thon seems to be a gifted, but still not fully matured 
young modern theologian. 

Moses is an easy-going old fellow. 

The most outstanding of them all u Willy Barnbus, a quiet, 
dear-thinking organizer, who, however, would like to be a leader. 

With Barnbus 1 discussed important points and I learned in- 
teresting things from him. 

I he Jewish Colonisation Association • is currently negotiating 
with a Creek family (Soursouk is the name. 1 think) for the 
purchase of 9 7 villages in Palestine. These Greeks live in Paris, 
have gambled away their money, and wish to sell their real estate 
( 3 % of the entire area of Palestine, according to Barnbus) for 
7 million francs. 

* III lafltth In the original. 



520 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.1 

The I. C. A. has turned away from Argentina and now malt, 
investments only in Palestine. 

Bambus told me something interesting about the most recent 
session of the I. C. A. Zadoc Kahn, whom I seem to have done 
an injustice in this regard, really presented my proposal to buy 
one newspaper each in London and Paris for the Jewish cauit 
This took place in the unofficial session. At that point Claude 
Montefiore, Lousada, and Alfred Cohen, the English members, 
declared they would leave the meeting if such a proposal 
made in the official conference, and Alfred Cohen even threat- 
ened to make a complaint to the British government because of 
an infringement of the statutes. Zadoc Kahn thereupon with- 
drew, hurt. 

With Willy Bambus I established good rapport — if he is sin- 
cere, this can have the best of effects. 

On Sunday at the Zionist Association we held a conference 
on the General Zionist Congress which I planned to convenes 
Zurich. 

It was decided, however, to go to Munich, because the location 
of that city is more convenient for the Eastern Jews, because the 
Russians would not dare to come to Switzerland, which is sus 
pectcd of nihilism, and because there are kosher restaurants is 
Munich. 

Therefore we shall meet at Jochsberger’s where in Augu*. 
'%> I started my discussions with GUdemann and Meyer-Coha 

How big the movement has grown since thenl 

After lengthy, idle talk an organization committee was ap 
pointed and I was charged with convening the Congress. It 
will have both public and closed sessions. 

One thing is already clear: Bambus and I are going to do all 
the work. The others are going to watch. 

March 10 

Yesterday s elections in the new fifth legislative assembly di* 
met brought the victory of the anti-Semites all along the li* 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 521 

in Vienna and Lower Austria. In its editorial yesterday, the 
N. Ft. Pr- recommended the election of the Socialists. This is 
the policy I had recommended from Paris four and a half years 
ago. Now it is too late. 

Incidentally, I reminded Bacher and Benedikt of the advice 
I had given then. 

When I read my Jewish plan to him a year and a half ago, 
Bacher said to me: "We shall keep silent about it. We have 
kept silent about Social Democracy too, for 15 years.” 

And yesterday they went to the polls arm in arm with this sup- 
pressed S. D. 

Is it expecting too much to think that the ,V. Ft. Pt. will go 
arm in arm with Zionism as well — although maybe also too late? 

• • • 

Last week, incidentally, Bacher said a funny thing. 

I told him that the wife of our colleague Steinbach was in the 
habit of going to the Zionist Association on Tuesdays. 

The last time Dr. Ehrlich's wife wanted to accompany her. 
"We shall toon have the distaff side of the N. Ft. Pt. on our 
side/' I said. 

Bacher laughed. "You’ll get the men, too, as soon as you have 
success. We bow to success.” 


March 10 

The Jews of Vienna are depressed today. 

Dr. Grunfeld invited me to take part in today's officers' meet- 
ing of the Israel itische Union. 

They want to have a big rally (of Lamentation?). 


March 10 

mcct ‘ n ff wa * depressing. A few old Philistines who 

1 ** nna idennify” themselves as Jews and who are endur- 
*ng die kicks. 


522 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERM 

March u 

De Haas sends on to me a letter from Colonel Coldsinid « 
Biarritz, intended for me. Goldsmid avers that he did not mait 
a speech against me in Cambridge, as the Jewish Chronicle said, 
but only defended his historic flag, on which the twelve tribes are 
symbolized, against my seven-star one. 

So we already have a flag problem. 

For the rest, Colonel Goldsmid's rapprochement is welcoott 
in view of the Munich Congress. 


March 14 

A lettercard from Hechler. He writes that upon his muni 
from Mcrano he found waiting for him an invitation from the 
local German ambassador Eulenburg, who is greatly interested 
in our cause. Has Hechler dreamed this? It could be true. At a 
literary dilettante Count Eulenburg in any case knows my name 
He is a confidant of the German Kaiser. If I win him over, 
he can bring me to the Kaiser at last. 

The Jews’ turning to the Social Democrats in the Viennor 
elections of March 9 probably made some impression on those m 
power everywhere. 

We shall see. 


March 14 

Newlinski had breakfast with me today. He again had all torn 
of stories about the I urks. I he drollest thing was a story about 
the war treasure. After the Russo-Turkish War the Minister of 
Finance started a secret war chest, which, strangely enough, w» 
not stolen. I he present Finance Minister was privy to the secret, 
and when the Cretan crisis broke out, he informed the Sulu» 
that i 4 million francs were on hand. The Sultan bestowed d* 
order on the incomprehensible man — and now the 
treasure is stolen. Arrears are paid. Some is embezzled, the am 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 523 

bMsadors get to see money again, and Newlinski got some. too. 

However, Newlinski thinks that in the immediate future they 
will need money again. Why didn’t the Jews make a loan? I told 
him that a loan could not be raised for no good reason. However, 
(here Bambus* story about the land purchase occurred to me) 
if the Sultan wanted to sell landed property in Palestine, to- 
gether with permission for 2000 families to settle there, some- 
thing could perhaps be done. We agTccd that I should write to 
Berlin. Paris, and London, in order to elicit an unofficial offer 
of purchase. If the managers of the Jewish Colonisation Associa- 
tion offer so much per hectare. Newlinski will telegraph this to 
the Sultan and get a reply as to whether the proposal might be 
made officially. 

I immediately wrote almost identical letters to Bambus. Zadoc 
Kahn (for communication to Leven), and Dr. G aster (for Montc- 
fiore, Lousada, Alfred Cohen). I said that such a land purchase 
ran counter to my views on infiltration, to be sure, but that I 
considered it a stepping-stone to our larger goal. I said I had also 
broached to my informant the question of a police of their own 
for these settlen and that he thought it possible that we would 
be permitted to recruit Mohammedans as policemen. 

1 keep raising the question of a security police, which after 
D’ArbeLa’s information about the valor of the Jews in Palestine 
is really pointless, in order to let the negotiations be wrecked on 
it if need be, if those with the money leave me in the lurch. 

In my letter to Zadoc Kahn I indicated that this transaction 
could be performed without the suspect baksheesh, which, after 
all. probably doesn't always get into the right hands. 

In the letter to G aster I admonished the English I C.A. 
gentlemen not to treat the distress of the penniless Jews in too 
refined a fashion. 

In both letters I emphasized the point that the settlers ought 
to be recruited from those registered with the various Zionist 
**»otiaiions, who want to go to Palestine at their own expense or 
*uh nominal financial assistance. 


524 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

March 15 

I wrote to de Haas in London to stoke matters a hit through 
a brief item in the Jewish World. Montcfiore and Company 
should be given a sledgehammer hint that if necessary we shall 
line up the masses against them. 


March 17 

Yesterday the first public Zionist meeting took place here. I 
stayed away on purpose, in order to see how the Vienna Zionim 
would get along without me. It was a great success. The Rei- 
source Hall, which holds 400 people, was overcrowded. 800 to 
1000 are said to have been present, and they stood packed like 
sardines. Many had to be turned away because the hall was too 
full. 

Professor Kellner presided and did an excellent job, I am told. 

Credit for convening the assembly, organizing it, etc., belongs 
to Dr. Landau and Rosenbaum. 

A few Socialists spoke in opposition to Zionism, using old 
arguments. 

The Zionist resolution was carried with only 50 voting against 
it. Then the Socialists intoned the "Lied der Arbeit [Hymn of 
Labor], whereupon our people responded with the "Bundeshed 
[Song of the Covenant],” which deeply moved everyone. 


March 17 

Today I spoke with Bacher about Zion. He said in a mellow 
tone: "II ne faut jurer de rien [You never can tell]/' 

I accompanied him to his home and told him the latest de 
ve opments. He finally said: “I shall probably not live to see it" 
I said: “You won t be around to see the King of Palestine, and 
neither will I. But we can both live to see the beginnings.” 

e urther said that he would really like to take a trip to 
a lest me with me some day (similar to what Benedikt said), 
n parting I cried: I 11 convert you yet. Vous serez Us pU** 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 525 
noble de mes conquetes [You will be the noblest of my con- 
quests]!” 

Whereupon he squeezed my hand, touched. And it didn't 
occur to me till later that I had said something funny to him, 
reminiscent of the saying: la plus noble conqutte de ihomme, 
(Jest le chei al [man’s noblest conquest is the horse]." 

I consider it possible that the N. Fr. Pr. will ukc up my idea 
after all. For didn’t Commercial Councillor Zucker today offer 
me the presidency of the Jewish bourgeois association Union? 
I declined; but the offer is indicative. A year ago the Unionists 
were mocking and opposing me. 

• • • 


Bambus replies that he immediately transmitted my land pur- 
chase proposal to Paris and London. 


March t8 

Ran into Gtidemann on the street. He accompanied me to the 
door of my house and opened up with gestures and in tones of 
despair: "Explain Zionism to me. I don’t understand it." 

I said: "No, I won't explain anything to you any more. Every 
word is wasted.” 

He had some grotesque ideas: he would rather let himself be 
killed outside the Seitenstettengasse synagogue than yield to the 
anti-Semites. He "will not lake flight," and all the other old 
chestnuts. He also spoke about the "mission of Jewry," which 
consists in being dispersed throughout the world. This mission 
is talked about by all those who are doing well in their present 
places of residence — but they are the only ones. 


March tq 

Another talk with Bacher. Now we always leave the office 
together. He would like to take a trip to Palestine with me; and 
*hen I showed him the prospectus of the tour which Cook has 




526 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

arranged for the Maccabean C.lub, he told tnc an old Prague 
legend which he had heard in his youth. 

A Jewish woman was once sitting in her room and looking 
out the window. She noticed on the opposite roof a black cat 
in labor. She went over, took the cat. and helped her to give 
birth. Then she made a bed of straw on top of the coal bin for 
the cat and her kittens. A few days later the cat, which had re- 
covered, disappeared. But the lumps of coal on top of which she 
had lain were turned into pure gold. The woman showed them 
to her husband, and he said that the cat was sent by God. So 
he used the gold to build a synagogue, the Altneuschul. This 
is how that famous edifice came into being. But the man was 
left with one wish: as a pious Jew he would have liked to die in 
Jerusalem. He also wished he could see the cat again, for be 
wanted to thank her for their prosperity. And one day the woman 
was again looking out the window and saw the cat in its old place. 
She quickly called her husband, saying: “Look, there sits our 
cat againl” The man ran out to get the cat, but it jumped away 
and disappeared into the Altneuschul. The man hurried after 
it and suddenly saw it vanish through the floor. There was an 
opening there, as though to a cellar. Without a moment’s hesita- 
tion the man climbed down and found himself in a long passage. 
The cat enticed him on and on, until finally he saw daylight 
ahead again. But when he emerged, he was in a strange place, 
and the people told him he was in Jerusalem. On hearing this 
he died of joy. 

This story, said Bacher, shows how national consciousne* 
has been preserved within the Jews in all places and at all tiroes. 
Actually, he said, it lies beneath the level of consciousness and 
flickers through in him too. And he said he had told me the story 
because he, too, had discovered within himself a desire to go to 
Palestine. 

What a transformation in one year! 

I believe it is only a matter of months before the N. Fr. Pr 
turns Zionist. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 527 

March 2 1 

I am sending The Jewish State to Herbert Spencer with a 
request for his opinion. I am closing my letter with the following 
words: 

We are guests upon the earth at the same time. In the natural 
course of events you may depart sooner than I, the 37 -year-old. 
Therefore, since I am even today convinced that the Jewish 
State will materialize in one form or another, though beyond 
the limit of my life, I should like to know and determine how 
the beginning of this undertaking was reflected in the great mind 
of Herbert Spencer. 

With sincere respect, 
Th. H. 


March 24 

The Egyptian emissary, Mustafa Kamil, who has visited me 
once before, called on me again. He is on another tour to create 
favorable feeling for the cause of the Egyptian people, who want 
to rid themselves of British domination. This young Oriental 
makes an excellent impression; he is cultivated, elegant, intelli- 
gent, eloquent. I note him down, because he will some day prob- 
ably play a role in the politics of the Orient — where possibly we 
shall meet again. 

This descendant of our erstwhile oppressors in MizTaim is 
now himself sighing ovct the sufferings of bondage, and his road 
leads him past me. the jew, whose journalistic aid he seeks. Since 
at present I ran do nothing more for him, I assured him of my 
good wishes. 

Although I did not tell him so, I feel that it would be good 
for our cause if the F.nglish were forced to leave Egypt. For then 
they would have to seek another road to India in place of the 
Suez Canal, which w*ould be lost to them or at least rendered in* 
* fcurc - At that point a modem Jewish Palestine would be an 
expedient for them — the railroad from jaffa to the Persian Gulf. 


528 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

March *4 

Dined yesterday with the Turkish ambassador at Newlinski'i 
Mahmud Nedim was sulky with me at first, apparently because 
of the anti-Turkish attitude of the N. Fr. Pr. 1 utilized a turn in 
the conversation to drop the remark that newspapers could never 
pursue a foreign policy different from that of the government 
of their country. Then I praised the vitality of Turkey, a country 
that would yet see great days if it chose to favor Jewish immigra- 
tion. 

The poor ambassador said quite candidly: "It can’t get any 
worse than the situation we are in now." 

The milieu in which I found myself there was curious. It 
is the diplomatic demi-monde. Next to the ambassador sat Direc- 
tor Hahn of the IJinderbank — financial demi-monde. On the 
other side of the hostess sat Fiirth, currently the secretary of the 
Prince of Bulgaria. After Fiirth had left his job with II inch in 
Paris, he was on the point of becoming a remisier [outside 
broker] at the stock-exchange — I remember his telling me in 
the carriage on the way back from the Bois that he was just then 
acting as the agent of aristocrats for stock exchange transactions 
in gold-mine shares — when he received the position with Prince 
Ferdinand, through the good offices of the Jesuits, I believe, as 
a reward for his conversion. 

Newlinski is a great figure himself — I don’t know whether I 
have already sketched him in my notes. In Constantinople my 
diary entries were restricted by the possibility that during our in- 
timate trip he could some day get his hands on my diary. He is a 
grand seigneur dichu [fallen aristocrat]. One day he lost the out- 
ward support of his native surroundings and got into a lower 
Stratum, whose virtues and vices he docs not have, where he is 
misunderstood and slighted. 

are tur *ous perceptions in him. He possesses the tech- 
nique of diplomacy, all the finest and deepest requisites for a 
“ rccr l ^ 1csc ar f absolutely out of place in bourgeois life 

Thu makes his a half-ruined life and produces a suspicious im- 
pression. r 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 529 

With it all he has that great Slavic charm, and now as before 
I am under the spell of his great intellectual qualities. 

But despite this I sec clearly that it is diplomatic demi-monde 
—from the pitiful ambassador of the ailing Emperor of Turkey 
on down. But even this poor ambassador and his poor master are 
genuinely likeable figures to me. 


March 24 

Walked home from the office with Benedikt today. Again, as 
always, steered the conversation to the Jewish cause. I now em- 
ploy the strategy of alarming him, because I have noticed that 
he is susceptible to being frightened. Naturally, I can only make 
veiled threats. 

However, by now I really am apprehensive that the Jews in 
Vienna will be too late in going along with my plan. They will 
no longer have the political elbow-room, nor perhaps the free- 
dom of movement— of persons as well as of property — to be able 
to look or go to Zion. 

I told Benedikt: "The most immediate consequence of anti- 
Semitism, even before the legal and administrative chicanery, 
will be a war of the Jews against the Jews. The strata of Jews 
that are already oppressed and threatened will turn against the 
big Jews who are buying themselves off from governments and 
baiters with money and services." 

He understood this and said: "If only this does not turn into 
a fight against the rich in general.” 

I replied: "Once the fight has started, it can’t be confined 
any more. Those who have failed to read the signs and have 
turned a deaf ear to the cries of distress will have nobody to 
blame but themselves." 

And then I told him something that had just occurred to me, 
because I had had the lists for the invitations to the Congress 
picked up from Schnirer — namely, that at a Zionist rally we had 
collected the names and addresses of university graduates who 
irt °ur adherents. (This is the mailing list that was prepared for 
me on the occasion of the publication of The Jewish Stale). 


530 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

At that point I saw an expression of fright on his face. 

I had dealt a blow to his imagination. I guessed what suddenly 
came into his mind in his fright: these arc the addresses of the 
subscribers to the rival paper of the X. Fr. Pr. 

• • • 

The day before yesterday, Monday, following the election in 
the Leopoldstadt, when the anti-Semitic candidate was defeated 
by the •‘Liberal,'’ there was a disturbance in this Jewish district. 

Some gangs of hoodlums roamed about, smashed windows of 
coffee houses, plundered a few small shops. Also, Jews weTe 
abused and beaten on the street. When people read about this 
in the morning papers, I believe it gave the Jews a shock which, 
however, was quickly overcome. Things must get worse, they will 
get worse. Of course, the millionaires will easily escape the mis- 
haps; and the Viennese Jews are, like most of our people, ghetto 
types who are glad if they get off with only a black eye. 

March >6 

Received a charming letter today from Alphonse Daudct. He 
still remembers our talks. If he is still around when the Jewish 
State comes into being, he wants to come to us to give lectum 

• • • 


March 19 

Paul Lindau visited me at the office and, among other things, 
told me the following. The Duke of Meiningen had shown him 
a map of Berlin on which |cwish-owncd land was marked in red. 
Christian-owned land in blue, and doubtful property in white. 
The entire Tiergarten district, said Lindau, "was as though 
dipped in blood." 

Curiously enough, a similar propaganda map is to be produced 
by the People s Party in Hungary, at I heard recently. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 531 

The local "Union” invited me to a preliminary discussion of 
the proposal to call a big meeting in which the situation of the 
Jews in Austria is to be discussed. 

I managed to get a decision in favor of the meeting. A com- 
mittee was appointed to prepare it — and this committee decided 
to adjourn. 

I lost two times three hours with arguments which would have 
softened stones. 

In the first discussion on Tuesday I said that Count Badeni 
would soon give way to a more clerical Prime Minister. An at- 
torney named Dr. Elias gave a superior smile: "Badeni will dis- 
solve the Reichsrat if he has no majority." 

The day before yesterday, Friday, there was the committee 
meeting which I had successfully fought for on Tuesday. And 
Friday at noon Count Badeni had handed in his resignation — 
to everyone’s surprise. 


• • • 

From Schaulen, Russia, came two letters from a colonist in 
Rishon-le-Zion. Her name is Helene PapiermcisteT. and she 
paints a glaring picture of the mismanagement and embezzle- 
ment of the Rothschild director Scheid. I am sending the accu- 
sations to Bentwich for him to investigate, if possible, during his 
Palestine Pilgrimage.* 

To Mrs. Papiermeister I am writing that she should bring the 
complaints against Scheid before the Munich Congress in affi- 
davit form. 

This Congress will be made into a forum for the poor victims 
of our "benefactors” and their offic ials. 

• • • 

A dispirited letter from de Haas in London. Col. (kddsmid. 
hr writes, sent for him and implored him to stay away from the 
Congress. so that there might be no "split” in the ranks of the 

* In FjigUih In (he origin*) 


532 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Hovcvei Zion. Instead, I should attend the delegates’ conference 
of all Zionists in Paris next autumn. 

I am writing Haas to start marching with his followers, with- 
out delay and undaunted. 

A split — tant pis [too bad]! 

I’ve had enough of all these Pickwick Clubs and "head- 
quarters.” * 


1 also received a letter from Col. Goldsmid who writes me the 
same things he told Haas, implores me to unite my forces with 
theirs, and assures me of his sincere friendship. 

I am answering him: 

My dear Colonel: 

Thanks for the cordial tone of your letter. I, too, am sincerely 
devoted to you and only regret that you fail to understand me. 

The Munich Congress is a settled affair from which 1 can no 
longer withdraw. But it is a necessity as well. Ask Rev. Caster to 
show you the letter in which I recommend to the I.C.A. making 
a land-purchase with immigration rights, which is possible now. 
My proposal, as Zadoc Kahn has written me, was placed ad acta 
[on file]. These gentlemen want to do and will do nothing. 

I have waited long enough. In August it will be two yean 
since I took the first practical steps in the Jewish cause. I wanted 
to act without stirring up the masses, through direction from 
above, in cooperation with the men who had already played 
a prominent part in Zionism. I have met with no understanding, 
no support. I have had to go on alone. At the Munich Congre* 
I shall call upon the masses to resort to self-help, since no one 
else wants to help them. 

As for your proposal to make the participation of the Hovevci 
Zion contingent upon the Paris Central Committee, I consider it 
pointless. 1 know the Paris derision in advance. It will be a re- 
fusal. Someone is at work behind the scenes whom I shall engage 


• In Englith in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 533 

neither in a competition nor in a dispute. You will learn his 
identity from the enclosed letter. 1 am entrusting this letter to 
your discretion as a gentleman. Send it back to me. 

This man has been intriguing against me for a good long time. 
At first I thought he was worried about losing his job, and there- 
fore 1 felt only pity for him. But for some time such complaints 
have been coming to me from the most various sources. Now I 
understand everything. 

In any case, he will exert every effort to frustrate the Congress. 
He will invent the most high-minded arguments to keep the 
Pans Committee away hum Munich. As a “man who knows the 
Orient’’ he will arouse apprehensions, etc., etc. He will say that 
publicity is detrimental to our endeavors. All untrue. The Sul- 
tan and his counsellors know the Jewish plan. I have spoken 
quite openly with the Turkish statesmen, and they did not take 
offense. They will not give us Palestine as an independent state 
at any price; as a vassal state (perhaps like Egypt) we could ob- 
tain the land of our fathers in a very shun time. We would have 
it today, if the proposals I made in lundon and Paris had been 
taken up last July. Can you understand my anger and my impa- 
tience? 

You, Colonel, ought to enter the Turkish service as a general, 
like Woods, Kamphdvener, v. d. Golu, and other foreign officers, 
and in that capacity you would be in command in Palestine un- 
der the suzerainty of the Sultan. L’pon the break-up of Turkey, 
Palestine would then fall to us or to our sons as an independent 
country. Was the plan so senseless? The financial arrangement 
was even simpler, if the money magnates had joined with us the 
way I had proposed it. Montagu gave his approval to my loan 
project. 

Since it didn't work out that way, it must work another way. 

I believe you arc mistaken if you expect no financial strength 
hom the masses. Each man has only to make a small sacrifice and 
die amount raised will be enormous. That will be the job of the 
world wide propaganda which it to have the Munich CongTest as 
lUstaning P°* m - This bring a financial matter, it will not be roy 


534 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

concern. In Munich there will also be financial experts who will 
take care of this part of the task. 

After a long time a Jewish National Assembly will again be 
held in Munich! 

Isn’t this something so great that every Jewish heart must beat 
higher at the thought of it? Today still in a foreign land, leshonoh 
haboh [next year] perhaps in our ancient home? 

As for you, Colonel Goldsmid, who moved me so deeply that 
evening in Cardiff when you told me the story of your life and 
began with the words, '7 am Daniel Deronda” • — don’t tell me 
that you are unwilling to take part in this Jewish National As- 
sembly. I could understand it if you had to have regard for your 
personal position as an officer. But from a Zionist point of vim 
you cannot possibly have any objections. 

That I have no selfish aims • you must believe. Just now, at 
the parliamentary elections, three seats were offered me in dis- 
tricts where the Jews have a majority. I declined. I have no per- 
sonal ambition whatever in the Jewish cause. 

Put me to the test. Once again I make the following proposal: 
join forces with Edm. Rothschild, Montagu, and anyone else you 
please. Give me your word of honor that you will carry out what 
I initiated in Constantinople — and I shall pledge my honor to 
withdraw permanently from the direction of the Jewish cause. 

If you find this impossible, then combine your strength with 
me. I^et us work together! 

However, if it should come to a split between the “big’’ money- 
Jews and ourselves, it is not we who shall be badly off. but they. 
On the other side will stand a few money-bags with their shturt 
re r s [beggars] and lackeys— on this side, we with all the noble, 
courageous, intelligent, and cultivated forces of our people. 

With Zion’s greetings, 

Your sincere friend, 
Th. Herr!. 

Enclosure: letter from Mrs. Papicrmeistcr. Schaulen. 

In Englith In ihe original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 535 

April 5 

The Emperor did not accept Badeni’s resignation. The Min- 
jjtry "will govern only with the cooperation of the landed pro- 
prietors loyal to the Constitution.’’ 

The Jews of Austria will once again consider everything as 
saved. But the anti-Semites are furious. Badeni, who has no ma- 
jority, will have to show them more favors than a clerical gov- 
ernment would have. 

The Jews will soon be groaning again. 

April if 

Baron Manteuffel, a Christian Zion enthusiast who has young 
Jews trained to be wine growers at San Michele all’ Adige, writes 
me that he wants to go to Palestine in order to study conditions 
there. 

I am charging him with a confidential investigation of Scheid’s 
mismanagement which Mrs. Papiermcister has pointed out to 
me. 

Unfortunately it is a fact that the statements of an Aryan Baron 
influence the upper Jews • more strongly than anything our own 
kind could say. 

• • • 

Haas reports from London that he and his comrades are ready 
to march. 

They will split Goldsmid’s Tents if he does not come along 
to Munich. 

At the same time Haas sends me a letteT from the Prague Rabbi 
Kaminka opposing the Munich Congress. This Kaminka will 
have to be remembered as the model of a weather-vane. Now he 
is for, now against us. 

His chief worry, however, is whether “distinguished”— Lc* 
^ — people will be there. 

Thu cleric deserves to be memorialized in my diary. 

• • • 


* In E-ngluh in the original 


536 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

An hour after 1 had made the above entry there came a letter 
from Kaminka, in which he offers me “congratulations on your 

initiative.” 

So, after having been unable to wreck the thing through vilifi. 
cation, he offers congratulations on it. A typel 

He even asks to make a report on the Hebrew language, for 
he definitely wants to attend the Congress. 


The 62nd birthday of my dear father. 

• • • 


April 14 


For the Congress: 

The rich Jews need to contribute only as much each year as 
they normally budget for charity. In return we take the poor to 
Palestine. 


• • • 

Notice to publishers who want to issue the stenographic pro- 
ceedings of the Congress. Offers to be directed to Zion, \ lenna. 

• • • 

1 shall invite all the big papers to the Congress. But those who 
want to have places reserved will have to register in advance. 
This way I may force all of them to write about the Congress— 
for fear of competition. 

Including the N. Fr. Pr. 


April 17 

Dr. Giidemann has published a malicious counter-pamphlet 
entitled National judentum [Jewish Nationalism]. Evidently H 
the behest of the local upper Jews. 9 He confines himself to vague, 
cowardly generalities, but with the obvious intention of p ro 
viding ammunition for bolder warriors. 


* In English in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 537 

I shall answer him — and, following the Machiavellian precept, 
it will be devastating. 


• • • 

The publisher Breitenstein, who naturally accepts anything 
and has only his business in view, tells me that as soon as Giidc- 
mann’s tract appeared, Rothschild sent for thirty copies. 

April 21 

The Greco-Turkish war, which in the last few days has changed 
from a cold to a hot war, will in its further course probably af- 
fect our cause as well. How? 

If a peace congress for the settlement of the Greco-Turkish 
differences comes about, we shall present our request to the con- 
gress of the Powers. 

If Turkey is victorious, which is probable, and if she receives 
reparations in cash from Greece, which is even now financially 
unsettled — something improbable, to be sure — the Turks will 
have less need of Jewish aid. 


April 23 

Bodenheimer -Cologne had a splendid idea: to make a collec- 
tion for the wounded Turkish soldiers, so as to show the Sultan 
the sympathy of the Jews. 

I immediately look up this idea and launched it among the 
local Jews, including non-Zionists. 


• • • 


11 hi me Kaaimah came and asked me in 


HIVC ... m . 

recommendation to the Turkish ambassador He wants to leave 

w the theatre of war with several medical students, as volunteer 
docton. 


I wrote Mahmud Nedim a letter informing him of the volun 
eer doctors and the collection for the wounded soldiers. 


538 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

April *4 

Perfidy on the part of Bainbus. 

Today he informs me that he has sent a correction of my Co* 
gress announcement to several Jewish papers. 

His purpose is clear: he wants to make me appear as an hablau 
[braggart], to undermine the Congress, perhaps on Scheid’s «• 
den. 

Rambus gives as a pretext that the Munich Jews are beside 
themselves and are protesting against the holding of the Congra 
in Munich. 

To what extent this is true, whether the intrigues of Scheid, 
who feels himself threatened, aren’t behind this as well, we shall 
yet find out. 

Perhaps it is only plain envy on the part of the Berlinen who 
are afraid that I shall get all the leadership in my hands. 

1 am writing to Bambus immediately, demanding that be re- 
tract his correction, otherwise I will break with him. 

At the same lime I am writing to Bodenheimer -Cologne, in- 
forming him of the intrigue and asking him for an assurance of 
his constancy. If needs be, Cologne will become the capital of 
German Zionism. 

• • • 

If they give us trouble in Munich, I shall take the CongTe*u> 
Zurich. 

April *5 

The first great literary form of neo-Jcwish culture will pro^ 
ably be the comedy — no matter in what language. After all, La - 
biches plays, too, are translated into all languages. 

This thought occurred to me yesterday when I had quire * 
gixxl time. It was the first enjoyable day that I have Zionism to 
thank for otherwise, all it has got me so far is palpitations, t%- 
citement, shocks. Even the demonstrations of support don t (P w 
me any pleasure, because behind the masses who are appl* l, d ,n * 


The COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 539 
me I already see the ingratitude, the future envy, and the possible 
vacillation of the next day. 

But yesterday there was pure delight. Since I am managing the 
Mllections for the Turkish wounded. I called some gentlemen 
to my home. 

At first only the assistant rabbi Gelbhaus and Dr. Bloch came. 
Subject of our conversation: my article against Gtidemann in 
the last number of Bloch’s IVochtnschrijt. The article is said to 
have caused quite a stir. Bloch told me that he went to the Con- 
cordia Club in order to hear the views of the journal ists. A finan- 
cial-news gatherer in the employ of bank director Taussig de- 
clared that "such an article should not be published." The others 
were in favor of it, and they only regTetted that I had attacked 
Rothschild. Bloch denied that I had meant Rothschild by "men 
behind the scenes.” Whereupon Julius Bauer said: "Am I God 
for you to try to hoodwink me?” 

Gelbhaus, for his part, told us about the sensation which the 
article had created among the Jews at the synagogue. They 
formed raydlikh, i.e., gmups, in the counyard, and all they 
talked about was the demolition of the Chief Rabbi. Before and 
after the sermon they came to Gelbhaus to tell him that Gude- 
mann was "morally dead”; he had been convicted of being a 
muddle head, in fact, of no longer standing on the soil of Judaism 
at all. Gelbhaus, however, spoke about Giidemann's execution 
without perceptible grief. 

Bloch abondait dam It mSmt stru [was of the same opinion] 
and explained to me the meaning of the defense of Gudrmann’s 
wand through quotes from the Hungarian Chief Rabbi Chorin. 
which was contained in the same issue of his weekly. Chorin is 
•dually regarded as a goy by the pious. 

And Gelbhaus said cheerfully: 

’’You’ve killed him with your opposition, but the proof of his 
•greement with Chorin has buried him." 

Now that he was alive to the humorous aspects of the matter, 
Bloch told us that by reviewing Gttdemann't pamphlet in the 
I Vochensehrift he had only intended to goad me into a reply. 


540 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

That is why he had Feilbogen, to whom he had assigned the re- 
view, emphasize that "the fourth section ought to be entitled; 
Dr. Giidcmann contra Dr. Herzl.” 

Of course, I don't believe that. I am more inclined to beliete 
that Feilbogen wanted to trip me up, and that Bloch, consideriiw 
the turn in my favor which the matter seems to be taking, wuha 
to be on the side of the stronger. 

Should I be defeated in an encounter in the near future, he 
will desert me. 

He also casually mentioned the reason for his hatred of Glide- 
mann. The latter had treacherously deserted him on the seminary 
question. And now he talked at gTeat length about the uninter- 
esting seminary question which agitates these gentlemen about 
as much as the Jewish Question agitates me. Thu is bo* 
through passion even the smallest matter can drive people to 
hate or to love. 

When I asked them about Giidemann’s reaction to my article, 
both gentlemen confessed naively that they had not been able to 
find out, although they had sent their wives to Gudrmann to 
congratulate him on the Franz Josef Order which he was given 
three days ago. 

Then came little old smart Sigmund Mayer, and we fixed the 
composition of the committee for the collection. This was the 
high point of our conversation. In the process I got to know 
some personalities. For in the case of each name misgivings were 
voiced and the men again showed with an involuntary naivet* 
what a low opinion they have of the "notables." 

1 he name of a millionaire was mentioned. Mayer thought that 
not everyone would want to sit in his company. I asked why, be 
cause I didn't know him. None wanted to come out with it. 

Gradually they made hesitant remarks which sounded like ex- 
cuses for the man. I hey said that he had given some building 
credits, to be sure, but that one couldn't really say that he had 
practised usury. And bit by bit there emerged the portrait of a 
usurer, so that I laughed and said: "Now I know who the man 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 541 

And this is how it went with others. As the committee list was 
put together, I learned a lot of details about a lot of people. 

P A veritable scene out of a comedy. For after they had been 
n down, they were finally co-opted into the committee after 
all, a committee that is supposed to create illusions for the public, 
and itself has no illusions. 

April *7 

Yesterday, at my place, the constituting session of the commit- 
tee for the Turkish collection. Representatives of the Turkish- 
Israelite community were on hand. too. After a lot of talk it was 
decided that the Turkish Jews who live here shall place them- 
selves at the head of the action and co-opt the others into it. 

April >8 

Letter to Mahmud Nedim Pasha; 

Confidrnlial 

Your Excellency: 

I beg to congratulate Your Excellency on (he splendid victories 
of Turkish arms. 

The desire of several Jewish students to attach themselves vol- 
untarily to the armed forces of His Majesty the Sultan is a small 
token of the friendship and gTatitude which we Jews feel for 
Turkey. 

Here and in several other places I have organized committees 
to initiate collections of money for wounded Turkish soldiers. 
The yield of the collections will be handed over to the ambas- 
ndon of H. M. the Sultan in various countries. 

Here in Vienna, the Turkish- Israelite community will at my 
tuggrttion head the action and co-opt various other persons. In 
ibis way the aspersions on the part of the anti-Semites that we 
Mf not making the collections out of hutnanitarianism. but in 
opposition to the Christians, shall Ik deprived of any pretext. 

Nevertheless, the collection is delicate in nature, and many 
Jews will b( afraid of taking this particular opportunity of ex* 
pressing their sincere sympathies for Turkey. 



542 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

In the western countries this is virtually impossible at this 
time, because the Jews must not make any demonstrationi 
against their fellow citizens. Therefore, nothing may in this par 
ticular case be expected from the English and the Freni h Jc*t 
who are of the greatest importance financially. 

Yet we Jews are gladly using this opportunity to show the 
Turks our devotion. Under more favorable circumstances, when 
there are no external political hindrances, the sympathies of the 
Jews would be on a far grander scale — to the blessing of Turkey 
as well as of the Jews. 

If this realization gains ground in Yildiz Kiosk, where, it seem*. 
I have been slandered — I shall feel great satisfaction. 

Enclosed are samples of the appeals which we have circulated. 
Appeal Number 3 I drew up for the public committee. The lat- 
ter will meet again on Saturday, May 1 st, and transmit an official 
notification to Your Excellency. The present letter is confidential 
information. 

® e RK' n f? Your Excellency to accept these expressions of my 
deepest respect, I am 

Yours sincerely. 
Dr. Th. Henl. 




I have been to Briinn. They gave me a gala party in th 
Deutsches Haus which was announced on street-comer poster 
I made an impromptu speech of almost an hour, and they tol 

me it was good. In it I addressed myself to manufacturers an 
matrons. 

• • • 

On my return home 1 found a letter from Bambus who pul 
in his horns a bit. 

• • • 

The collection for the 'I urkish wounded has been taken i 
an by the local Sephardic community. The leaders impre 

bi ;™r NO ‘ C: Hml 1 mUUkr hcrf »• '*97 h.. J7'h. "OC * 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 543 

me as being covetous of decorations, partic ularly President Russo. 

It’s all right with me if they are decorated, as long as they don't 
denature the project and turn it to the account of their commu- 
nity. 

• • • 

Mahmud Nedim didn’t answer my letter. However, I wrote 
the whole story to Sidney Whitman who is in Constantinople 
now and goes to Yildiz every day. 

May 9 

The Berliners “dissociate themselves from the Congress." I 
suspect that a Scheidian intrigue is behind this. 

Bambus and Hildeshcimer disavow my Congress announce- 
ment in the Berlin Jewish papers. 

“Germany. 

“Berlin, May 5 . A few weeks ago Dr. Theodor Herzl published 
a preliminary announcement in Vienna, to the effect that a 
“Zionist Congress" is to take place on August 15 of this year in a 
city in Southern Germany. Among the speakers who were listed 
as making reports there figured also the publisher of this paper 
who was scheduled to speak about the subject “The Tasks of 
Jewish Philanthropy in Palestine." A local Jewish paper re- 
printed this announcement, but in its next number published 
the following communication from Mr. W. Rambus, himself a 
member of the committee entrusted with the preparation of the 
planned Congms: 

Deliberations are actually taking place on the convening of 
the big Congress which will have to occupy itself with general 
Jewish problems, such as the emigration of the Russian Jews, 
etc. Whether it will be a Zionist Congress, according to the sug- 
(potions put forward by Dr. Herzl. or, following proposals made 
by others, a conference of the Palestine associations, or whether 




544 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

it will take a still different form, cannot be determined as y n 
for the entire affair is definitely in the stage of preliminary div 
cussion. This invalidates all inferences based on Dr. Herzl’s plan. 

“Since Dr. Herzl despite this continues to send out his prelim], 
nary announcement, the publisher of this paper is obliged to 
make the declaration that of course he has never had any inten- 
tion of attending a Zionist Congress, but has held out the pro*, 
pect of his presence and his participation only and solely in the 
event that the planned assembly would be devoted to a discus- 
sion of the manifold tasks of the Palestine aid project, panicu- 
larly colonization. Apart from our point of view which is basically 
different, we feel we must all the more emphatically decline to 
participate in an assembly discussing “Zionist” theories and 
future plans, because we are convinced that it threatens to pro- 
duce grave harm rather than the hoped-for benefits, as well as 
to compromise and seriously damage more obvious and realizable 
endeavors. The hope may still be harbored that better judgment 
will prevail and that the expenditure of energy and resources 
will be placed in the service of those tasks which are regarded 
as the most immediate by ourselves and even by men who basi- 
cally share Dr. Herd's point of view. Only in this event tan the 
assembly, which has undoubtedly been planned with the best of 
intentions, truly bring blessings.” 

At the same time Landau informs me of a letter in which 
Hildesheimer writes him in confidence that he has to disavow 
me in order not to lose his prestige with his circle of donors. 

• • • 

My answer to Hildesheimer’s knavery is in the copy book, p. 
i6f. 


May si 

Today there comes news from the w r ar area which leads one to 
expect an armistice and a peace between Turkey and Greece 
within the next few days. This sends our collection for the 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 545 

nded soldiers down the drain. However. 1 will try to salvage 
Z (an be salvaged, and I am writing to Sidney Whitman at 
Constantinople to tell them in Yildiz that we had started our 

^Yesterday the vacillating Prague Rabbi Kaminka joined the 
Congress committee. First I gave him a good drctsing^iown and 
administered a son of loyalty oath to him before the assembled 
members of the Actions Committee. 


Yesterday in the closed committee meeting at the "Zion” Dr. 
Schnirer suddenly moved the appointment of an Executive Com- 
mittee. I believe that he had discussed this proposal in advance 
with Prof. Kellner and Dr. kokesch in order to relieve me of 
"one-man rule.” However. 1 was delighted, because they are only 
going to lighten my work load, provided that this is more than 
committremanship. Schnirer, Kellner, Kokesch, Steiner, Kreme- 
nakv. Seidener are fnends of mine on whom I gladly lean. If 1 
had anything against them up to now, it was the fact that they did 
not help me out more. Their volunteering for work now is wel- 
come to me. Incidentally, at the same time they recognized me 
as president of the party. 


• • • 

Later on I asked whether I should take steps to get an official 
delegate or an observer of the Sultan sent to the Congress. They 
all beamed and gladly agTeed. 


May it 

Several circumstances — Hildesheimer’s attack; the acquisition 
f jf a local Monday sheet by the Zionists Kohn and Rappaport, 
who that same instant broke with us; finally, the humiliation of 
dependent for every little notice or correction on Bloch’s 
S°°d graces — make the founding of our own organ a necessity 
diat can be deferred no longer. 


546 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

I asked Dr. Landau what his estimate of the editorial com* 
would be. He made a tabulation in which he figures with 50 
guilders a month. Then I got Heinrich Steiner to make an esti- 
mate of the production costs for me. Steiner calculates them at 
1 1,000 guilders a year. After that I also asked my father whether 
he agreed, and when he replied in the affirmative. I decided to 
create the paper which has been talked about so often in the 
past year-and-a-half and for which the funds could never be 
raised. 

I saw everything clearly right away — except for the name. 

May 13 

Informed Prof. Kellner and Dr. Kokesch of my decision last 
night. They were surprised. Kellner said: “You astound people 
by the speed of your march — a veritable Moltke." 

The gentlemen wanted to begin by calling a committee meet- 
ing. I proposed to Kellner that he join the paper as publisher or 
responsible manager. He declined the risk in view of his positioo. 
Kokesch said he was willing to act as publisher. 

Overnight the name for the paper occurred to me: Die Well, 
with a Mogen Dovid [Star of David], inside which a globe should 
be drawn, with Palestine as the central point. 

Landau came and suddenly raised his demands when he saw 
that the papier for which he had begged me for a year-and-a-half 
was about to come into being. He said he had to "charge for l«t 
time, loss of other income, etc.” Thereupon I invited him to 
formulate his demands in writing. In the afternoon he brought 
a document in which, in addition to fixed salary of 50 guilders— 
which, after all, would be modest — he demanded to% of the 
net profits. Steiner, whom I had offered a share in the net prof- 
its, had declined and also advised me to refuse Landau's request, 
since, after all, it is my intention to use any profits for the expan- 
sion of publicity. 

In the afternoon Kellner, Steiner. Schnirer, Kokesch. and 
Landau got together at my home. Steiner brought along a charm- 


thE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 547 
ing sketch for a masthead: Die Q Welt [The World], which won 

general approval. , . 

Incidentally, strangely enough, a current of opposition to the 

paper seemed to be stirring among the gentlemen. At first it was 
^t expressed; I merely sensed it. Kellner spoke against starting 
the paper, calling it premature. 

Schnirer recommended that we go ahead. 

Steiner thought it should perhaps be preceded by a “tour of 
the synagogues ’ and by enlisting subscribers in the various 
countries. 

I pointed out that months ago 1 had suggested that we go 
ahead and get subscribers, thus making sure of having a basis 
for the organ of the movement which everyone desired so ur- 
gently. This had not been done any more than other things I had 
recommended, unless I had done them myself. Therefore I de- 
cided simply to create the papeT myself, with my money and my 
labor. 

Thereupon the gentlemen, who a moment before had still ex- 
pected too little, changed oveT to excessive expectations at one 
bound. Kellner chewed over the idea a bit that I, as the entre- 
preneur, could very well put my labor into the paper gratis, 
whereas others would have to put themselves on a (said basis. 

After that I begged the gentlemen to enter into a relation of 
coownerxhip with the paper by investing in it either money or 
labor. None of them wanted to give money; but Kellner prom- 
ised to contribute his work in return for a share in the profits, 
and with this I was quite content. 


May 15 

Kellner has begged off. He must shortly go to F.ngland for ten 
*«b. Accordingly, to my regTet. his co-ediurrthip is now out of 
the question. The whole burden will rest on me. 

Law night we drew up the format of the paper. I sketched the 
“T°nt, column by column; Kellner. Landau, and Steiner lis- 
tened to me. I believe, with astonishment. Kellner and landau 



548 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERzl 

suggested this and that. Following Kellner's advice it would I* 
come a somewhat scholarly paper of Anglo- Jewish-German com- 
plexion. Following Landau's advice, Die IVcIt would be a 
lemical paper with a predominantly Galician outlook. I believe 
it ought to be a dignified paper with appeal to universal Jewry 

I suggested that Kellner write a series of literary profiles of 
representative exponents of the Zionist idea: Disraeli, G. Eliot, 
Moses Hess, etc. 

He took up the idea enthusiastically and will begin with 
Disraeli in the first issue. I promised him to have the entire 
scfic* — which he would probably have been unable to place 
anywhere else in view of present-day conditions in the newspaper 
world— issued later in book form by the Welt publishing house. 
I shall pay for his articles at the same rate as the N. Fr. Pt. For 
Zionists must be the last people from whom the paper accepts 
free gifts. If it prospers, people will tell all sorts of stories about 
me anyway especially those who couldn't make up their minds 
to make any sacrifice. 

Landau immediately asked for a “raise’* to 75 guilders 1 
month. Granted. 


May 16 

The preliminary work on the paper. Correspondence, organi- 
zation, everything to be done from scratch. 


May 18 

Also, that atmosphere of conflict at the office again, something 
that doesn’t make my heart any stronger. 


May 19 

An excellent letter from Sidney Whitman at Constantinople, 
e can make both head and tail of it now and wants to submit 
te matter to the Sultan himself. He has the Sultan s seal; letter* 
ed with it arc immediately handed to the Sultan. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 549 

S Whitman expects us to safeguard his future in return for 
Us services. He deserves that, and I am promising it to him in a 
Utter which the grateful Jews will honor some day. I can no 
gioie promise a sum of money to him than I can to Newlinski. 
But both will get thanks from the Jews in as magnificent a man- 
ner as the work is magnificent. 


May 10 

Another letter from Sidney Whitman. He has interested 
Ahmed Midhat Efendi, the Sultan’s favorite, in the matter. 
Ahmed Midhat thinks we should proceed yaiush [slowly] and not 
ask for too much, lest the Sultan say No immediately. In particu- 
lar we must not use the word “autonomy,’’ because it has already 
involved Turkey in many wars. I should write my letter in 
French, so that it could be submitted to the Sultan. 

Accordingly, today I am writing Whitman a letter promising 
him a reward (in German, in the copy book), and the following 
French one for showing around: 

My dear Friend:* 

I am writing you today on the stationery of a new paper, a 
weekly, but of high quality, which we are starting for the needs 
of the cause. Dir Writ will appear on June 4, 1897. In this Jour- 
nal we mean to give Turkey, so to speak, an earnest of our pro- 
found sympathies. You may tell Ahmed Midhat F.ffendi that we 
dull publish in it, with pleasure and, of course, absolutely im- 
perially, communications and news which may be useful to the 
Sultan's government. 

This is a step on the road toward setting in motion the influ- 
ence of the Jewish press for the benefit of Turkey. We shall con- 
tinue, provided our efforts are encouraged by sympathy accorded 
•o the Jewish cause. 

An effort which I made in accordance with your suggestion to 
Con * *° the aid of the wounded soldiers came too late — I don’t 
want to say “unfortunately.” For the victories of the Turkish 

* I* Firadi in the ortftuL 


550 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

arms have rather quickly made this subscription pointless. Since 
the political situation in England and in France did not permit 
the Jews of those countries to express their sympathies— which 
really exist— to the Turks in this situation, we have had to con- 
fine ourselves to establishing committees in Germany, Austria, 
and Hungary, and asking our friends in other countries to give 
their aid in whatever way was possible. 

Besides, this was only an incident of lesser importance in the 
Jewish project which I am pursuing. I very much fear that peo- 
ple in Yildiz Kiosk are incorrectly informed about the nature 
and the scope of the Jewish plan. Enemies, intriguers, have per- 
haps changed the appearance of things. 

What we want to do is conceived. I admit, in the interest ol 
the Jewish people, but it will serve superlatively for the pro- 
longation, the restoration, of the vital forces of the Ottoman Em- 
pire. 

First of all, my book on the Jewish State should not be taken 
as the definitive form of the project; I am the first to admit that 
there is a lot of ideology in it. A simple writer, I launched the 
idea without knowing how it would be received by the Jewish 
people. The best proof of this is that I suggested we settle either 
in Argentina or in Palestine. 

But since that publication the neo-Jewish movement has taken 
on an entirely different complexion, and it has become practical 
and practicable. We take circumstances into consideration, wf 
want to conduct ourselves well politically, sincerely and eft- 
ciently. 

Here is the situation in a few words: 

If H. M. the Sultan grants us the conditions indispensable 
for the settlement of our people in Palestine, we will gradually 
introduce order and prosperity into the finances of the Empire. 

Once this principle is accepted, both sides will gladly li*re° 
to the details. 

Those who desire the weakening and the dissolution of the 
Ottoman Empire are the more or less avowed enemies of our 
plan; that is easy to understand. 


THF. COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 551 

Those who wish to bleed Turkey white by means of usurious 
loans are equally the enemies of our project. For the government 
of H M would regain control of the country’s resources; and 
that country would be a resurgent one. 

These are not empty words, and H. M. the Sultan will have 
an opportunity to be convinced of that if he will do us the honor 
of sending a delegate to the Zionist Congress which will take 
place in Munich on August *5, *6, and *7, 1897. 

H. M.’s delegate could attend all of our deliberations, and 
by this alone we would be willing to give him a striking proof 
of compliance. 

But— and this point must be stressed — we do not wish to have 
our people immigrate into Palestine without first completing 
the arrangement with the Turkish government. 

It is true that our people are miserable in various countries, 
but just the same we do not wish to exchange the present con- 
dition of unhappincs for uncertainty. 

The situation must be free and clear. 

And now 1 come to your questions: 

The immigrant Jews in Palestine would become subjects of 
H. M. the Sultan on condition of an absolutely guaranteed sell- 
protection * 

The necessary land purchases would Ik* made entirely without 
constraint. It cannot be a question of "dispossessing" anyone at 
all. Ownership is a private right and cannot Ik* violated. The 
Sultan's private domains could be paid for in (ash according to 
their value, if he desires to sell. 

As regards the question of "people's rights" in the arrange- 
ment, the equivalent produced by the Jews would be an annual 
tribute paid to His Majesty. 

We would start with a tribute of a hundred thousand pounds, 
lor instance, which would increase proportionally to the immi- 
gration up to one million pounds annually. 

On this tribute we could immediately procure a loan adjusted 
10 the annuity. The tribute would be guaranteed by the great 

•In in ^ ortgio.1 



552 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

funds in existence about which 1 have spoken to you on several 
occasions. 

I do not want to repeat again what I have already told you so 
often, my dear friend — namely, that the solution of the Jewish 
Question also involves the consolidation of Turkey. The energy 
and importance of the Jews in commerce and in finance are well 
known. It is a river of gold, of progress, of vitality which the 
Sultan will admit into his Empire with the Jews, who since the 
Middle Ages have always been the grateful friends of the Turin 

And with the straightening out of the finances, no more inter- 
vention of the Powers under false pretenses, no more "public 
debt,” no more "leeches.” 

Will the scope, the usefulness, of our project be understood 
in Constantinople? Let us hope so. 

For the time being I ask nothing better than to prove to H. M. 
the Sultan that all this is motivated by the best of intentions. 

It is unnecessary to remind you of the confidential nature of 
this letter. You, who are such a devoted friend of the Turks, will 
understand how important it is not to give warning to false 
friends who would like to thwart a project beneficial to Turkey. 

With cordial regards. 

Sincerely yours, 
Th. Herzl. 

May *j 

The movement is beginning in America. 

Michael Singer, editor of a new weekly, Toleranz, sends tne 
reports about meetings in New York, etc. 

A conference of rabbis, with Dr. Gottheil at its head, has come 
out in favor of our movement. 

On May 10 the New York Sun published articles about Zion- 
ism. 

When I showed the Sun column to Renedikt yesterday, Ik 
said benevolently: “You are driving the whole world crazy. A 
real Pied Piper of Hamelin.” 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 55 S 

I replied “I shall have my revenge on you when you arc 
obliged to get the report about the Munich Congress from the 
tolnische Zeitung, after you have had the opportunity for a 
year-and a half of being the best informed of all." 

To which he rejoined: 

“No. On August s6 our paper will simply carry a dispatch 

from Munich." 

And these casual words, which he is more likely to stick to 
than his promises — because he has to, because the paper must 
not 'fall behind” — this brief declaration already betokens, un- 
less I am mistaken, my victory over the N. Ft. Pr. The victory 
may be wTested from me repeatedly between now and August — 
yesterday I held it in my hands. 


May *s 

Today "Pater Paulus" Tischmann came to see me. Curious 
figure from the outposts of religion. An unkempt-looking little 
Jew with a heavy Polish-Jewish accent, until a short time ago 
a Catholic clergyman. He told me how at the age of 15 he was 
Kited, baptized, and later ordained, how he could not stand it 
in the long run and uttered blasphemy from the pulpit in 
Transylvania. He was arraigned and, after he had returned to the 
Jewish faith, acquitted. A character out of a novel. Now he is 
again auditing rabbinical sermons. I think he is doing a little 
iknomng [begging], too. I gave him a trifle. Curious that he 
probably gets no thanks from the Jews for his "return.” Formerly, 
under the crosier, he did all right. 

Nevertheless, he says with shining eyes: * But 1 have the inner 
utisfaction." 

This is the most expensive of all pleasures, as I well know. 

• • • 

Haas writes that people in America want me to make a "lec- 
ture tour" on the other side. 


554 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZI 

May t6 

I am working on the new paper to the point of exhaustion, of 
breakdown. 


• • • 

Two subscribers have turned up. To the many hundreds of j n 
nouncements of the Welt which have been distributed, onlt 
three written replies in all have come in so far. 

My close party friends believe it will be a failure. 

• • • 

Constantinople, May *j, 1897 

Private. 

Dear Friend: 

As is my custom, I am acknowledging by return mail receipt 
of your kind letter of the soth of this month. 

I shall immediately read the contents to Ahmed Midhat and 
invite him to write something for the Welt. 

Incidentally, the indications increase that I shall see the Sul- 
tan himself and be able to speak to him about the matter. I find 
your presentation very clear and convincing. More later. 

In haste. 

Yours, 

Sidney Whitman. 

P.S. Since writing the above I have been to see Midhat; I read 
im your letter and shall make a copy for him. He is very fa- 
vorably disposed toward the matter and wants to devote himself 
to it body and soul , with the express stipulation that he will never 
acccp t a P enn y his services. The two of us drew up a plan of 
action, and it is possible that I shall make the first communia 
tions to the Sultan even before my departure. The rest will de- 

w T , *hall be sent to the Munich CongTess, or 

Midhats influence as well as mine is zero 


S. W. 


XHF COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 555 

Entre nous. Rothschilds in Vienna have contributed 500 
-widen for the wounded soldiers. 

|am going to tell the Sultan about the Welt in person. 

Some time ago there was talk that the Sultan intended to name 
A. Midhat as Grand Vizier! 


May *7 

Received a check from Zadoc Kahn in the amount of 1000 
fnmes for the Turkish wounded. I am sending the check to 
Ambassador Mahmud Nedim, and Zadoc's letter to Sidney Whit- 
man in Constantinople. At the same time I am writing Sidney 
to tell the Sultan that I am ready to come to Constantinople 
after Pentecost. 


May 30 

In the last few days I balanced two difficulties against each 
other, which is, I believe, the best conceivable policy— provided 

it works out. 

The case in itself was insignificant; but still, my prestige with 

the Turks was at stake. 

The young medical students, who under Schalifs leadership 
had offered to leave for the theater of war as volunteer physicians, 
received permission in a letter from Mahmud Nedim. the local 
ambassador Then it turned out that they had promised too 
much, for they were unable to go. They had no money. 

On the other hand, the Turkish-lsraelite collection committee 
lor the wounded soldiers had raised only a ridiculously small 
•urn — 800 guilders — which they were ashamed of turning in. 

Then I had the idea of giving the Hoo guilders to the doctors: 
*The committee is sending off a medical expedition at its ex- 
That looks like something. 

To my surprise the committee people understood the pro- 
posal 


556 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.Rz l 

Ma T Ji 

Tremendous labor over the paper. Dr. Landau has been call^ 
up for his military training; Schalit, whom I had drilled * 
assistant, is going to Elasona. So from the outset the whole 
stands on my two legs. 


Kellner, Schnirer, and Kokesch address a joint letter to me ir 
which they request the omission from the first issue of an nea 
objectionable to the coal-Gutmanns (concerning their appo. 
against the Jewish Community Tax). They give no further r» 
sons for this request. I am going to accede to it— but of corn* 
I shall not be able to put up with this editing by committed 

June t 

Day before yesterday and yesterday I constructed Die £V Weii 
Nothing at all existed. Today there is a paper with a Hiainn 
physiognomy. 

Read all the proofs, even the "advertisements”; I made up ill 
the columns. That is to say, there weren't any advertisements 
At the last moment 1 telephoned Kremenezky and asked him fat 
an unpaid advertisement. He wasn't able to insen it, because ht 
is negotiating with the municipality of Vienna. 

In the evening, at the "Zion,” an advertisement was brought 
tn rom a Mariahilf clothing merchant. 

I have enjoyed toiling to set up the paper. 

At six o’clock last evening the first copy of the Welt earned 

e press. I am dedicating it to my dear parents. 

June 6. at night 

w out - 1 am utterly exhausted. I am going tote 
*» .. i 1 U * >cniccost of 1897. In addition to work on the 
N Ftp o dU< * thc mood for a Whitsuntide feuilleton for the 
n top of that, the excitement in the office that a tn 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 557 
moment now there has to be a row and a break with Bcnedikt on 
account of the Welt • 

A number of times I was on the point of informing him of the 
fait accompli at least. He now frequently ukes me home from 
the office in his carriage. This would provide the best opportu- 
ne* to talk about everything. But I finally decided on simply 
flying a paid advertisement to thc N. Fr. Ft. The advertisement 
was run by our business office. 


June 8 

This is where I fell asleep from fatigue the night before last. 

The business office of the N. Fr. Ft. accepted thc advertise- 
ment "reluctantly,** as my business office was informed by tele- 
phone. The insertion of an item in thc text part of the N. Fr. Fr. 
was refused for "political reasons.” 

I didn't really care about getting the item into the paper. I 
just wanted to send Bcnedikt a faire part [announcement] of the 
appearance of the Welt, one to which he could not respond with 
a veto. That is why I chose the financial course. A half-page in 
the advertising section of the N. Fr. Fr. costs 75 guilders. There 
was some probability that Bcnedikt would not refuse this 
amount. 

And thus the Welt was advertised in the pages of the S. Fr. Fr. 

On the Saturday before Pentecost, June 5, Bcnedikt looked 
at me with mighty curious eyes. We associated with each other at 
the office as usual, but there already were two business offices be- 
tween us. 1 believe he would have liked to have a real showdown 
wuh me, but at that moment he was dependent on me: 1 had not 
yet handed in my Pentecost feuilleton, and he urgently needed 
it for the Pentecost issue. 

• • • 

On Whit-Sunday, the day before yesterday, there appeared in 
the iemi -official Reichswehr a ferocious second editorial in oppo- 
*ition to the Welt under the title "Benedirtus I, King of Zion.** 


558 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

In it Benedikt is treated as a Zionist. I think he is going to bit 
the ceiling with rage. 

When I go to the office today, I must again, perhaps for the 
last time, get ready to do battle. I he showdown is due today 
I don’t know how it will end. Shall I perhaps be dismissed from 
the N. Fr. Pr. within the next twenty-four hours, before I hast 
filled the pages of this notebook? 

• • • 

1 face this possibility with composure. My heart is pounding, 
to be sure, but this is only a weakness of the muscle, not of my 
will. 

Should the N. Fr. Pr. drive me out, I shall have lost my posi- 
tion, which I acquired through twenty years of hard work, in a 
manner of which I need not be ashamed either. 

• • • 

The English “Headquarters” of the Hovevei Zion have ofr 
cially dissociated themselves from the Munich CongTeis and 
announced this in a dry, malicious notice. The Jewish Chromclt 
carried this announcement on June 4 .® 

"The Proposed Zionist Conference at Munich. 

“A meeting of Headquarters Tent of the Hovevei Zion As 
sociation was held on Monday last, the Chief, Colonel Goldsmid. 
presiding. It was resolved that the Association should take no 
part in, nor send any delegates to, the Congress convened bj 
Dr. Herzl, which is to meet at Munich in August next.” 

• • • 

At the same time Hildcsheimer belittles the American move 
ment. Probably only a small number of inconsequential group* 
from America will participate in the Congress.” 


June 8 

First round of the duel with Benedikt. 

Today he asked me d brtlle pourpoint [point-blank], when I 
* Original lat. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 559 

amc into the reading room somewhat uneasily in order to dis- 
cuss the daily feuilleton and while he was washing his face as 
always after completion of the evening edition: 

“Did you talk with Bat her about the Welit” 

“No,” I said, ready to fight. 

He answered: "That is very unwelcome to us.” 

“On account of the article in the Reichswehr ?" I asked. 

“No, I only read the article today: it didn't bother me. But I 
was furious when I saw the advertisement in our Pentecost num- 
ber. It shouldn’t even have got into the paper. It is the list of our 
contributors." 

I shrugged my shoulders and walked up and down the room. 
He wiped his face. “You put us in an embarrassing position.” 
I said in a loud voice: "The article in the Reichswehr is full 
of the dirtiest lies.” 

At that point Coldbaum came into the room — I think he had 
been eavesdropping — and the conversation was broken off. We 
talked about commonplace things. 


|une 9 

Second round. Today at noon Benedikt started in again: 

"We have to speak some more about the Welt. Up to now it has 
been the custom in our house that anyone who wishes to panic i- 
pate in some enterprise notifies the editors of it.” 

I said: “I've also written for the Zeit” 

He said: "We were on good terms with the Zeit. But even then 
1 discussed the permissibility of your action with Bacher. Now 
you have taken our entire list of contributors into the prelimi- 
nary announcement of the Welt.” 

I changed the subject: "Do you know what an intelligent per- 
*°n said about the anicle in the Reichswehr ? 

The author of the anicle knew very well that Benedikt is an 
opponent of Zionism. He only wanted to sow dissension between 
Benedikt and Herzl.* *’ 

He replied: ”1 think so too. They wanted to bring about dis- 


560 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

sension within the N. Ft. Pt. AH I ask of you, if our friendly 
relationship is to be maintained, is not to jeopardize us any fur- 
ther. In particular you must not publish that list of contributon 
any more." 

I promised to do all I could in this regard— and wc parted 
friends. He took me home in his carriage. 

June 10 , 7 th birthday of my Hans* 

At this point I close this fourth book of my history of the 
Jewish State. 

I will now deposit the books in a safe place. 

This moment marks a chapter anyway; this book won't take 
much more, and I shall make a red-letter date of the birthday of 
my good Hans who, I pray, may grow up healthy and happy, a 
strong man, and continue my work. 

• Editor'! Note: Mistaken entry. June 10. 1897 was the n'sf/i birthday of 
Herzl’t ion Hans. 


Book l ive 


Begun 


on June 11, 

1897 






Vienna, June 11, 1897 

Benedikt is more amiable Coward me now than ever before. 
Is he overcome, or is he preparing something? 

• • • 

Sidney Whitman is back from Constantinople. He didn't see 
the Sultan, and I think he didn’t accomplish anything else for 
us either. He only seems to have established contact between 
Midhat Efendi and me. He thinks I ought to write Midhat 
directly. 

While passing through Bucharest, S. W. spoke with Prime 
Minister Stourdza about Zionism. The interview is going to 
appear in the Sew York Herald. Stourdza again expressed him- 
self favorably about our idea. 


June 15 

I am writing to Ahmed Midhat Efendi:* 

Your Excel Ient7: 

My friend, Mr. Sidney Whitman, who is passing through 
Vienna, has told me to address Your Excellency directly on a 
matter with which you are already acquainted. 

I am so busy that this first contact which I have the honor of 
making with you must be quite brief. Whitman has told me 
10 much about the loftiness of your political views that it will 
strike me as a gTeat good fortune for the cause to which I am 
devoted if I have a chance of establishing and maintaining con- 
tact with you. 

I am deeply convinced that the Jewish action will contribute 
to Turkey’s health, to her financial liberation, to the regaining 
of all her vital forces. 

I am taking the liberty of sending you the journal Die Welt 
m which we wish to be of service to you. 

* In frenth in ihc anginal 

S6S 





564 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

I am placing this organ at your disposal, naturally in a wholly 
disinterested fashion. And I should very much like H. M t y lt 
Sultan to know this. 

All that you may send in will be published immediately. SIn(f 
this will never be in conflict with the loyalty we have to our 
country Austria and our sovereign, Emperor Fran/ |oscf. 

With assurances of my high esteem, I remain 

Your Excellency's devoted 
Th. H. 


June 16 

The Munich Jewish Community protests against the meeting 
of the Congress. 

The first letter from their Executive crossed mine; the second 
came afterwards. 

The discussion of them and the letters themselves will appear 
in the Welt, so I am not recording them here. I believe that this 
incident will gTeatly benefit the Congress. A general discustioo 
will flare up, and we shall shift the assembly from Munich, 
which is not suitable, to Zurich, which is. 


June 16 

In today s morning edition of Schbnerer’s Ostdeutsche Rund- 
schau theTc is a hard attack on the Xeue Freie Presse on account 
of the Welt. In the reading room at the office there was a copy 
of the Ostdeutsche Rundschau slashed with blue marks. A 

few colleagues greeted me frostily, like a favorite fallen from 
favor. 

Benedikt sent the Ostdeutsche Rundschau to ray room by a 
messenger. 

A quarter of an hour afterwards I went to see him, again 
ready for battle, even though quite nervous. 

Benedikt was very calm. 

1 told him: “I’ve read the article. It is very displeasing” 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 565 

u e - "The Welt is a great embarrassment to us. The best thing 
would be if it ceased publication. 

I said: "That can’t be done. 

He: “We’ll talk about iL You sec that I am dealing with it 
quite calmly and objectively.” 

i. ‘'£ven before the appearance of the Welt, the anti-Semites 
poured buckets of manure over the N. Ft. Pr. As far as I am 
concerned, I certainly don’t want to cause embarrassment to the 
JV\ Fr. Pt. I am devoted to the paper. After all, 1 have put part 
of my life and health into the N. Ft. Pt.” 

1 spoke firmly and calmly. He saw that 1 was prepared for a 
break. We were interrupted by a telephone call. I left the room. 
When I returned half an hour later, he did not resume our con- 
versation. He gave me an article by Sir Charles Dilke about 
Queen Victoria to translate. He said he didn’t want to give it to 
Mrs. Wirth for translation, because he had no confidence in her; 
ihe might divulge it prematurely. 

He has confidence in me, then? Is this attitude of Benedikt’s 
a weakness, or does he have something up his sleeve? 

If he is weak, he would have to hide it better. 

Had he kept silent, not mentioned the Ostdeutsche Rundschau 
at all, but treated me icily, I would probably have been badly 
shaken. 

Men don’t reproach, they demolish. 

June 17 

Since the Munich Jewish Community is protesting against 
holding the Congress, we decided in the Actions Committee 
today to transfer the Congress to Basel, possibly to Zurich. First 
I am to inquire of the Bavarian government through Wredc 
whether it has any objection to the Congress. I am sending the 
following letter to Wrede to be forwarded to Minister Crails- 
heim: 

Your Excellency: 

As chairman of the Committee on Arrangements for the Zion- 
ist Congress which has been called for August <5 at Munich I 


566 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERzi 

beg to inquire most respectfully whether the Royal Bavarian 
government is willing to accord the CongTess its friendly to| n . 
ation. I have expressed myself on the purpose of the Congroi 
in an editorial in Die Well which 1 take the liberty of enclosing 
herewith for your information. Only those persons will be able 
to attend the Congress who have registered by August 15 and 
have received a ticket of admission to the— closed — meeting. 

Zionism aims at solving the Jewish Question in a peaceful 
manner — namely, through the settling of Palestine with Jews, 
with the consent of the Powers, after an understanding has been 
reached with the Imperial Turkish Government. 

Zionism is, of course, an entirely lawful movement, and it 
wishes to pursue its humanitarian goals only under the benevo- 
lent supervision of the governments. The committee which is 
working on the arrangements includes a number of German 
citizens. 

With the expression of my profound respect, I remain. Your 
Excellency, 

Dr. Th. H. 

June 18 

I oday another round in my duel with Benedikt. He had a 
second, Schiitz. I had been noticing for several days that Schiitz 
was treating me as a fallen favorite. Today, when I entered 
Benedikt’s room, I saw by the break in the conversation that they 
had been discussing me. 

After a few remarks on editorial matters, Benedikt opened 
fire. He said he had spoken to Schiitz about the Welt, and 
Schiitz shares my opinion." Schiitz confirmed this, even though 
evidently less vigorously than he had done in my absence. 

Benedikt summed it up this way: The Welt must fold, or I 
must dissociate myself from it. He himself wanted to help me find 
a way in which my prestige would not suffer. (He reminded roe 
of his offer in the case of The Jewish State to help me make the 
book less objectionable during his vacation.) 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 567 

He begged me urgently, most urgently (and the threat looked 
out of his eyes) to give up the Welt. He said he was not speaking 

an editor to a co-worker, but as one friend to another. Natur- 
II hc wa5 concerned that the N. Fr. Pr. should sufler no harm, 
but for the moment he wished to speak only in my own interest. 
It was a pity about me. I was ruining myself. 

Schiitz seconded him: he had heard that agitation against me 

was about to start. 

I said: “I'm not afraid." 

Benedikt sought, as a friend, to talk me out of my "obstinacy.” 
Then a threat: 1 could not go on my vacation until 1 had given 
him a final answer, that is to say. stopped the publication of the 
Welt. Then a promise: he guaranteed 1 would not regret it if 
I acceded to his wish. (I know all that by now: his requests, his 
threats, his promises.) Hc also said that I must not play a promi- 
nent pan at the CongTess. I must not come to the fore. And 
after these sharp attacks, after he had tried to work on me with 
all the pressure of his superior position, he added so naively that 
the greatest mockery could not have made it any worse: "I cer- 
tainly don’t want to exert pressure on your conscience— only, 
you mustn’t do anything to the extent that it can be injurious 
to the N. Fr. Pr " 

And these people wax indignant in editorials w henever a minis- 
ter restricts the freedom of opinion of his officials. 

Of course I remained inflexible. When I was leaving. Benedikt 
asked Schiitz (who told it to me later) behind my back and 
anxiously whether he had not been too gruff with me. 


June 19 

Schiitz, the man of the born offices [good offices), came to see 
me. We walked to the office together. I complained bitterly about 
Benedikt who, I said, was exerting pressure upon my conscience. 
I could stand this only up to a certain point: and. after all, Benc- 
dikt’s friends would rejoice if I left the N. Fr. Pr. 

Schiitz must immediately have passed this on to Benedikt. 


568 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

The effect: an enchanting smile from Benedikt when I tame 
into his room. He was amiability personified, insisted that I have 
dinner with him, and didn’t say another word about the Welt 

Still, I’m on my guard. 

I think Benedikt only used the attacks of the anti-Semites 
as a pretext, because he is afraid of the independence which I 
am to gain through the Welt. 


June to 

Had supper yesterday with Sz6rh£nyi Pasha and his wife. 

She, a Levantine, is on intimate terms with the Sultan’s sister. 
I won him and her over to my cause, let it peep out that 
Sz£ch£nyi could make some money on it. He liked the idea of 
it, and said I should send him a memorandum of the matter 
which he would submit to the Sultan. 


June zi 

Yesterday a day of great worry. The students had called a rally 
to take a stand on the Munich Congress.’* 

This rally was prohibited by the police. I had to exert every 
effort to get the prohibition lifted. It would demoralize our 
people. In other ways, too, it could have a very bad effect. Our 
movement would get the false appearance of being dangerous to 
the state. 

Today I shall send Dr. Landau to the office of the president 
of the Cabinet Council. There he is to ask whether they intend 
to force the Welt, too, into becoming an organ for exposes and 
fighting, like the Zeit. 

Fight your battles with a hatchet manl 


June tj 

Yisterday another big row with Benedikt. He came into my 
room, first talked about general and editorial matters, then 
closed the door and came to speak about the Welt. 

He was more urgent than previously. The Well must fold. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 569 

1 am to turn it into a news agency or discontinue it, and the 
party should issue it in another city, at some other time. 

I listened quietly, made no answer. 

He begged me: ‘ Be a bon garfon [good boy]! Don't be stub- 
born. Soyez bon prince [Be a good prince] I What are you getting 
out of the Welt f You are harming yourself! I feel sorry for you. 
In the N. Ft. Pr. you can really go places. Do I need to spell it 
out for you? You sec the perspective as well as I do. You can go 
to the top with us. This way. however, you are causing us the 
greatest embarrassment. We can’t stand there as a Jewish sheet. 
Especially now, when for the first time in six years there is a 
rapprochement again between the German- Nationals and our- 
lelves (fight over the language ordinances), you start that stuff. 

I am (still!) speaking with you not as the editor, but as a pcT- 
tonal friend. Give it up. and it won’t be to your disadvantage. ' 

1 only kept silent. He looked at me with the greatest excite- 
ment. He begged, promised, threatened. 

Finally I said to him: "You are not well informed about the 
mood of the public. 

"Your readers wouldn’t object if you wrote about Zionism. 
You’ve become too much of a newspaper baron, you have too 
many people who want favors from you; people tell you what 
you want to hear, and you don’t hear the truth any more. 

I finally asked for time to think it over, and we left the office 
together. 

It is clear to me that the break with the N. Ft. Pt. is imminent 
in the next few days. 

In the evening I informed the Actions Committee of my diffi- 
culties with the N. Ft. Pr. on account of the Welt. 


June t 4 


On the train. En route to Ischl. 

At the station in I inz 1 just saw Bacher, who evidently is com- 
ing from Carlsbad and also going to Ischl. Since I have had 
wough excitement with Benedikt in Vienna in recent days, I 
avoided Bather, pretended not to have seen him. and quickly 


570 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR/l 

entered my compartment again. Perhaps he did not notice me 
In Ischl we shall probably run into each other anyway and prob- 
ably have an argument. The state of my nerves, to be sure, makes 
me wish not to have any exciting discussions now. 


• • • 


Yesterday was an interesting day. I had decided to ask Bene- 
dikt for leave, in order to put a stop to this daily strain on mv 
heart in those excited conversations with him. 

Riding my bicycle to the office yesterday, I said to myself: 
this is probably the last time I am going to the Nrur Freie Preue 
which has been the object of such ardent efforts on my pan over 
so many years. These serious differences must finally lead to my 
withdrawal, because I can't possibly accede to Bcnedikt’s demand, 
namely, to discontinue the I Veit. 

And, strangely enough, at the thought of leaving this much- 
envied position on the N. Ft. Pt., the recognized top literary 
post in Vienna, I felt a son of graduate’s relief. I had a similar 
feeling when I left sc bool. 

I further thought to myself: this is what death must lie like. 
The only painful thing — more painful psychically than physi- 
cally is probably the agony. Death itself may really be a relief 
to the dying man. 

Then I quite cheerfully packed my feuilleton files, put things 
in order, just as a good housewife hangs up her bunch of keys 
before she lies down, feeling death coming. Nevertheless, I real- 
ize dearly now as before that with my departure from the 
N. Fr. Pr., overnight I could become a has-been 

The last conversation with Benedikt took a calmer course 
than I had thought. I told him: 

With your consent I want to go on leave now. I am now 
acquainted with your point of view in the matter of the Writ. 
and I shall write you my answer by the first of July." 

c quickly answered: “Don’t write to me! I am convinced 
t lat you will obey me. I am speaking as your true friend — of 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 571 

course in my interest as well, but not without considering yours. 
You do yourself harm when you come forward as a Jew." 

I said: “Harm? One can harm oneself only by < committing some 

mcality” 

He cried: “Certainly the two of us don’t need to talk about 
character. No one is going to say or believe anything like that 
about you." 

I concluded: “So I am going on leave now. 1 shall send you 
feuillrtons. I haven’t been able to do any work here. These con- 
versations with you have excited me too much." 

He replied: “Me, too! So you are heeding my friendly advice. 
You'll promise me that you’ll give up the Welt, won’t you?" 

However, I didn’t promise him anything, but only shook my 
head mutely. 

Nevertheless, we parted “as friends." 

• • • 

In the afternoon Bloch telephoned Steiner and requested a 
ulk. Steiner should propose a “peace treaty” to me. Bloch is 
afraid that his Wochemehnfl could be ruined and is prepared 
to merge with the Writ. He begs for peace. He wants to join 
Zionum; all he asks is to be kept alive. 

He wants to place his pa|>er completely at the disposal of our 
party. We are to appoint the editors, he will pay them. Or we 
ibould make the Writ a supplement to the Woe heme hrift. 

Naturally I am rejecting this belated proposal. I am only let- 
ting him formulate this to pret isely so that later we will be able 
t« nib his nose in his fslth when he attacks us in the pay of the 
nch Jews. 

Blochs proposal is the first instance of lightning panic, such 
at we shall probably see repeatedly on our way. 

• • • 

The rally of the Zionist students, which was prohibited the 
before yesterday, could have done us gTeat harm among the 
tDWM dly Philistines. 


572 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERzl 

It was an unfavorable wind; I hastened to bring our boat in 
front of the wind again by hoisting the sails differently. The pro- 
hibition of Zionist meetings could kill our movement. Today 
it is still too weak to resist. Then, too, I was worried that the 
Zionist Federation could be dissolved following denunciations 
on the part of Community Jews. 

That is why I sent Landau to the office of the president of the 
Cabinet Council and had hun demand something impossible: 
permission for the prohibited rally. That, I knew, we would not 
get — but we would explore the feeling for or against us, and pre- 
cisely through the immodesty of a request for a special privilege 
give ourselves the appearance of people who have a right to make 
demands. 

And this is what happened, if I am correctly informed by 
Landau. He received the friendliest assurances from Dr. Rostier 
(the “niece of the coalition”), and Badeni gave permission to 
hold a meeting with the prohibited agenda, provided that it was 
not convened by students. 

At the same time, Badeni took cognizance through Rosner 
of the anti-Socialist Welt, and Government Councilor Wohl in 
the office of the Chief of Police was pop-eyed when Landau trans- 
mitted to him the "hint from the top.” 

In politics one must use difficulties for getting ahead. 


July *t 

Again on the train, once more en route to Ischl. In the weeks 
that have passed I haven't had a moment to make entries in this 
new "Log-book of the Mayflower,” as the correspondent of the 
London Pall Mall Gazette called it when he interviewed me 
yesterday at Reichenau about the Congress and Zionism. 

I can’t even remember any more all that I neglected to record- 
The time is past when I was able to note down the little crises 
of the day. I he Welt will have to come to the aid of my metnofy 
at some future date when I write my memoirs. The Welt is p*' 
ing me a tremendous amount of work. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 573 

The most interesting thing since my last train-entry was the 
necessary shifting of the Congress from Munich to Basel. I did 
jvjjj t he idea of going to Munich, which had from the outset 
unsuitable to me and which I had accepted only in def- 
erent e to the majority of the “Committee on Arrangements.” 
Then-fore I utilized the pitiful patriotic protests of the Munich 
Community chiefs to transfer the Congress to Switzerland. 

Basel was chosen after a survey made by our stalwart new 

collaborator. Dr. Farbstein of Zurich. 

However, despite this I asked Prince Wrede to address a con- 
fidential inquiry to the Bavarian government as to whether it 
would have had anything against the Congress Minister Feilitsch 
confidentially replied to Wrede that the government had no 
objections to the Congress ( scil did not favor it either). 

• • • 

I received a letter from Newlinski at F.tretat that had a more 
favorable tone. He had probably lost interest in the movement. 
The Congrew seems to make an impression on him. He declares 
again that he has never ceased "serving the sacred cause and its 
prophet.” 

• • • 

At last a fine letter from Szdchdnyi Pasha at Constantinople, 
in response to the outline (contained in the copy book) which I 
tent him. 

My project is again being discussed in Yildiz Kiosk. That alone 
is wonh something. 

• • • 

What else of an “intimate” nature ought to be recorded pro 
fvlvro [for the future]? 

The othrT day Dr. Koketch was deeply hurt because in the 
^groda (which I made) of the Congress (which I am making) 
of the Zionists (whom I am making) I did not include a change 
proposed by the “Committee on Arrangements” (which doesn’t 


574 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

do a thing). He said: "We are not merely the privy council of an 
absolute monarch." 


Ischl, July 

Another letter from Szdch£nyi Pasha. He writes that the lint 
favorite, whom he had already won for the proposal and who 
was supposed to put it before the Sultan along with the prayer 
rug. had then changed his mind again. Thereupon he had turned 
to another favorite who was "even more influential" and would 
perhaps do it. 

I am writing him today that he should just persevere and try 
to create a courant d’opinion [current of opinion]: tossed-off re- 
marks — "that would be the best solution of all difficulties." and 
the like — could have a great effect. My friends and I would neser 
forget his services. 


Vienna. August 14 

Work on the Congress and on the I Veit in addition to the 
Neue Freie Presse is now exhausting all my strength, so that I 
can’t even muster the energy to make entries in this log-book of 
the new Mayflower. 

I had been prepared for a collision with Bat her upon return- 
ing from my vacation. However, he kept silent, and the day 
before yesterday he even jokingly drew my attention to a 
editorial in the Deutsche f.eitung about the Zionist (xmgrrv 
He may be waiting for Benedikt’s return to settle the It elt pr"f> 
lem. Perhaps the row will come when I try to leave again the 
end of this week. 


• • • 

The Zionists of business and philanthropy are coming round 
to me again, having realized that they cannot frustrate the Cm- 
gress. 

Bambus is said to have the intention of coming to Basel. He 
won’t get a membership card. Little Dr. Kohn. of the Group 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 575 

Kohn Rapoport." also known as Group Korah, who tried to 
brine about a split among the Zionists in Vienna, has made appli* 
grion for membership. He gets a journalist’s card, at the most. 
Colonel Goldsmid writes me a letter oozing with friendship. I 
am answering that he should still come, otherwise he would be 
eliminated from the nationalist movement forever: 1 will build 
him a golden bridge. Finally. Scheid. the intriguer, the man of 
mismanagement, is coming to Vienna one of these days — alleg- 
edly on account of the "wine business”; however, I am convinced 
that he is doing it because he wants to get closer to me out of fear 
of the Congress. At the same time he took out a year's subscrip- 
tion to the Welt and luxuriously paid *0 francs instead of 17 
for it. The excess shall be returned to him together with an 
ironic remark. 


• • • 

Newlinski is coming to Basel in order to report to the Sultan. 
In his letters from F.tretat he claims to have instructions to this 
effect. I am pretending to believe it. Obviously he only wants 
to see if there is anything to the whole business. 

N. unites there is a chance that the Sultan will reply to our 
telegram of greeting. A subsequent letter says again that diffi- 
culties have cropped up. Consequently the whole thing was not 
true But Newlinski can be useful to me in Constantinople just 
the same. 

Jr tuij le soigner [I am going to nurse him along]. 

• • • 

Yesterday I sent a small silver center piece to Constantinople 
fft the rummage sale for wounded soldiers. 


August *3 

Once again on the train, this time rn route to Basel, to the 
Zionist Congress The amount of work in recent days was enor- 
mous. 




576 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.R2L 

The apprehended row with Bacher has not taken place to 
date. He was even amiable the last few days before my departure 

I did a lot of work for the N. Fr. Pr., in order to put hun m 
a good mood. When I asked for my additional leave, he autd 
a bit grumpy, but then did excuse me until September *. Where- 
upon he got to speak about my movement. My collaboration with 
the Welt must cease, he said. 

I replied: "I have published a total of only one signed article 
in the Welt." 

He said: “What else are you doing, then? Surely you dan 
want to become an itinerant preacher?" 

“No," 1 said, "I don’t want to be a professional politician. 
If that had been my desire, I would have accepted one of the 
candidacies for the Reichsrat that were offered to me.” Serenis- 
simus,* as we call him at the office, bantered almost gra- 
ciously: “Some pleasure that would be! I’d almost prefer to nt 
in the Zionist Congress than in the Reichsrat. — But sou ought 
to stop now. You are a man of letters, aren't you, and, after all 
you arc an intelligent man.’’ 

“Yes, indeed, because 1 want to be an intelligent man I an 
bringing my work under the aegis of the Congress. Otherwut 
everything up to now would have been nonsense. I have fashiooed 
a Congress for the Jews, and let the people help themselves from 
this point on, if they really want to. As for myself, there are 
times when I have had more than my fill of the whole thing. 

And that’s the way it is. Of late I have felt much disgust If 
the Congress produces no serious results, I intend to withdraw 
from the campaign and confine myself to keeping the flan* 
alive in the Welt. 

Bacher had a satisfied expression when I said this. And when 
I told him good-bye on Saturday, he said with a pleased grin: 
"Give my regards to the Zionists.” 

All right,” I said— "of course, not officially.” 

• • • 

namT Hlghnm." a half affrrtionair. halHroaW 

name for a running monarch. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 577 

So we shall see what the Congress brings. If, as a consequence, 
ooliiital powers take the matter under consideration— if, 

far example. lhc Gcrn,an Kaiscr * ends for mc— 1 ihal1 kcc P on 
lllung. If not, and if the moneyed Jews also show no readiness 

to any forward the movement which I have brought to this stage 
at such great personal and material sacrifice. I shall retire. 

Should I be offered the presidency of the Congress. I shall at 
any rate accept it only this once. Even if I go on directing the 
movement. I do not wish to preside over the Congress again. 

Fact is— which I conceal from everyone— that I have only 
an army of shnorrers [beggars]. 

I am in command only of boys, beggars, and prigs. Some of 
them exploit me. Others are already jealous or disloyal. The 
third kind drop off as soon as some little career opens up for 
them Few of them are unselfish enthusiasts. Nevertheless, this 
armv would be entirely sufficient if only success were in sight. 
Then it would quickly become a well-conditioned, regular army. 
So we shall see what the immediate future holds in store. 


August S 4 


On the train, en route to Zurich. 

This rooming, when I was coming down the stairs in the 
Tiroler Hof, who should step up to me? Hechlerl He had been 
theTe since the night before, and was delivering a lecture in the 
talon about me and my movement while 1 was taking a solitary 
evening stroll through the streets of Innsbruck, thinking of any- 
thing but that the upper ten* in the Tiroler Hof were at that 
moment being instructed in Zionism by a clergyman. 

Hechler gToaned softly but audibly about the discomfort of 
hu third-class trip. 

I shall wire him 15 guilders fTorn Buchs, with which he can 
tonvert his ticket into second class. 


• • • 

An odd thing, one of the secret curiosities of the Congress 
“ the bet that most of the threads which I have spun up to now 

* la taftkh In the original. 


578 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER/i 

will converge in Basel. Hechler is here, Newlinski will be, and 
tutti quanti [all the rest) who have helped in creating the people’, 
movement under my direction. It will he one of my tasks to keep 
them from noticing one another too much, for they would prob- 
ably lose something of their faith in the cause and in me if they 
saw with what slight means I have built up the present structure 
The whole thing is one of those balancing feats which look jug 
as natural after they are accomplished as they seemed improbable 
before they were undertaken. 

One of my worries is Newlinski — both what he will say about 
my people and what my people will say about him. I must en- 
deavor to keep him a Heart [apart]. I consider it entirely possible 
that the Bambuses, the little Kohns, even Dr. landau, for whom 
1 have created a position and in whom I already scent disloyalty 
and ingratitude, will run up to Newlinski and run me down. 

1 shall demand of Newlinski urxe fulfills absolue [absolute 
loyalty], explain clearly to him that he is to know no one but me 
He should not have dealings with anyone, not let himself be 
sounded out by anyone. I may invite him to an inner committee 
meeting, but only if it is a highly opportune occasion. 

On the other hand, if only because of Newlinski. I must give 
the Congress a certain toumurr [style]. 

In other ways, too, the direction of these proceedings will, 1 
believe, be a rare feat which will have no other spectator than 
the one who is performing it. 

An egg-dance amongst eggs which are all invisible. 

*• Egg °f the N. Ft. Pr. which I must not compromise or 
furnish a pretext for easing me out. 

2 Egg of the Orthodox. 

3 - Egg of the Modernists. 

4 Egg of Austrian patriotism. 

5- Egg of Turkey, of the Sultan. 

the Russian government, against which nothing un- 
pleasant may be said, although the deplorable situation of the 
Russian Jews will have to be mentioned. 


thE C oMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 579 

Egg of the Christian denominations, on account of the 

u 0 |y Places. , 

In short, it is a concise digest of all the difficulties with which 

I have struggled until now. Added to this are a few other dance- 

(ggs: 

Egg Edmond Rothsc hild. 

Egg Hoses ci Zion in Russia. 

Egg of the colonists, whose help from Rothschild must not be 
queered, tout en considtrant leurs misFres [while taking proper 

account of their troubles]. 

Then, the eggs of personal differences. 

Egg of envy, egg of jealousy. 1 must conduct the movement im- 
prnoiially and yet cannot let the reins out of my hands. 

It is one of the labors of Hercules — without overestimating 
it— for I no longer have any rest for it. 


August 17. Basel 


Congress days! 

Upon my arrival the day before yesterday I went right to the 
office which the City of Basel has placed at our disposal. 

It is a vacant tailor’s shop. I am having the name of the firm 
covered over with a cloth, in order to forestall any bad jokes. 

Similarly, in the matter of a hall I am concerned about our 
not looking ridiculous. Dr. Farbstein of Zurich has hired the 
Burgvogtei, a large but unsuitable place with a music-hall 
stage. I asked for suggestions as to how we could make the back- 
dropi for the %altimhanques [tumblers] disappear, but ended up 
by hmng different and more dignified quarters. 


• • • 

To the Braunschweig Restaurant, where the food is quite bad. 
rsery train brings Congress mcmlvers from all sorts of places, 
caked with coal-dust, sweaty from their journey, full of inten- 
tions — most of them with good ones, a few with bad. 

Last night there arrived the "enemies’’ Turow. Kohn, and an 


580 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

unpleasantly sly-looking man from Warsaw, a certain Rabbino- 
wicz, a real Judas, who started out by assuring me of his esteem. 

In the afternoon Mr. Bourlier from Paris called on me and 
interviewed me for the Journal. 

All day there were caucuses of the Russians, conferring about 
I don’t know what. 

My fine friend Wolffsohn from Cologne foresees dissension and 
division. 

We shall admit Bambus, Turow, and even little Kohn to the 
Congress after all. 


Morning of August 30, Basel 

I no longer need to write the history of yesterday; it is already 
being written by others. 

I was calm and took note of the smallest details even yesterday. 
1 have to leave for a session now and won’t record the intimate 
details until the train ride home: Nordau's ill-humor at the pre- 
liminary conference because he was not made president, and how 
I gradually soothed his spirits. 

Many people were profoundly moved yesterday — 1 was quite 
calm, as one should be when events occur as planned. Only when 
I mounted the dais, immediately after my acclamation as presi- 
dent, and found among the mail the first letter from my Hans, 
was I greatly stirred. At the presidential table — the present sig- 
nificance of which I am not overestimating, but which will grow 
in history — I wrote Congress postcards to my parents, my wife, 
and each of my children, Pauline, Hans, and T rude. 

This is perhaps the first act of childishness I have committed in 
two years, since the movement began. 


September 3. Vienna 

The past few days, the most important since the conception of 
the idea that time in Paris, have now rushed past. In Basel and 
on the way home I was too exhausted to make notes, although 
they are more necessary than ever, because other people, too, 


THE COMPUTE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER/.L 581 

* j|rtldy noticing thM our movement has entered the stream 


0< w‘° n ’,' sum up the Basel Congress in a word-which I 
.mil guard against pronouncing publicly— it would be this. At 
o^-l l founded the Jewish State. 

„ . «id this out loud today. I would be answered by universal 
, ILr Perhaps in five years, and certainly in fifty, everyone 
wilfknow it. The foundation of a State lies in the will of the 
1 pie for a State, yes. even in the will of one sufficiently power- 
hd mdividual (l’£tat c'rst mot [I am the State]— Louts XIV). 
Territory is only the material basis, the State, even when it pos- 
tata territory, is always something abstract. The Church Sute 


At Basel, then, I created this abstraction which, as such, is 
invisible to the vast majority of people. And with infinitesimal 
means. I gradually worked the people into the mood for a State 
and made them feel that they were ns National Assembly. 

One of my first practical ideas, months ago, was that people 
ibould be made to attend the opening session in tails and white 
tie. This worked out splendidly. Formal dress makes most peo- 
ple stiff. This stiffness immediately gave rise to a sedate tone 
one they might not have had in light-colored summer suits or 
travel clothes— and I did not fail to heighten this tone to the 
point of solemnity. 

Nordau had turned up on the first day in a frock coat and 
flatly refused to go home and change to a full-dress suit. I drew 
him aside and begged him to do it as a favor to me. I told him: 
today the presidium of the Zionist Congress is nothing at all, 
we still have to establish everything. People should get used to 
leeing the Congress as a most exalted and solemn thing. He al- 
lowed himself to be persuaded, and in return I hugged him grate- 
fully. A quarter of an hour later he returned in formal dress. 

In general it was my constant concern during those three days 
to make Nordau forget that he was playing second fiddle at the 
C°ogTess, something from which his self-esteem visibly suffered. 








582 THE COMPLETE 

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thE COMPLETE D1AR.es OF THEODOR HER7.L 585 

nrrasion I emphasized that I was in the chair purely 
®* CV "!:.. I rta sons. because of my knowledge of pcrvms a..d 
l0 ' S*^7du, in all other situations he war enmled to prece- 
i^ThU improved h.t mood somewhat; fortunately, loo. las 
dOX . successful than my purely political one. and 

^ *out everywhere acclaiming hU address as the best at the 

C f!'? rlv , had to smooth down a few other sensibilities that 
tad been rallied in the crush. Steiner had been passed by in the 

of the committees, and went about with a deeply of. 
£rf sir I hastened .0 make him chairman for the gala recep- 
d«i and head of the organuatton committee, whereupon he 
mtled himself on the speakets platform and kept the speaker, 
from going up there. They had to talk from the Aw wh.le he 
at on a chair on the platform Also among those offended were 
Minu and a few others whom I had spoken to too harshly be- 
„„„ thev tat daydreaming and motionless at the presidential 


Everything rwted on my ihouldrr*; and ihii »» not ju%t wm<- 
thing I am telling mytclf. for it k» proved when on the 
afternoon of the third day I left became of fatigue and turned the 
chairman ship over to Nordau. Then everything wav hcltcr 
tkelter. and I was told afterwards that it was pandemonium. 

Even before I took the chair, things didn't click. 

Good Dr. Lippe of Jassy, as the senior member, presided. It 
had been agreed that he was to talk for ten minutes at most. 
In the great hubbub he had not submitted his speech to me; 
and now, when he was standing up there, he spoke without stop- 
ping for a half-hour and made one blunder after another. I nt 
below him on the platform, next to Nordau, sent word up to 
Lippe four times, begging him to stop and finally threatening 
him. The thing was beginning to verge on the ridiculous. 

Then 1 was called upon to speak. I was greeted with storms of 
applause, but I was calm and remained so and intentionally re- 
frained from bowing, so as to keep things at the outset from 


584 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
turning into cabotinage [a cheap performance] or conference 

[showmanship]. 

Then the presiding committee was elected by acclamation. 
We walked up. The Congress cheered. 

I called upon Nordau. He spoke wonderfully. He is and will 
remain a monument of our age. When he returned to the presi- 
dential table, I came toward him and said: Monumrnium aere 
perennium [A monument more enduring than bronze]! 

Then the reports went off according to schedule. And now 
it became clear why 1 had had to go to the Palais Bourbon for 
four years. Subsconsciously I was full of the niceties of parlia- 
mentary procedure. I was affable and energetic after the model 
of Floquet, and at critical moments I endeavored to coin mott 
prtsidentiels [presidential phrases]. 

On the first day I made a number of mistakes; by the second, 
according to the consensus, I had already become fully equal to 
the situation. There were critical moments — c.g., when a certain 
Mandelkem got up and moved a vote of thanks on the part of 
the Congress to Baron Edmond Rothschild. I rejected this pro- 
posal a limine [outright], because we had no right to vote in this 
fashion on a question of principle, infiltration. I pulverized 
Mandelkem* by saying that he was placing the Congress in the 
embarrassing position of having to choose between ingratitude 
toward a charitable enterprise and the abandonment of princi- 
ples. The Congress cheered me. 

Another critical moment — when the Bimbaum scandal oc- 
curred. This Bimbaum, who had deserted Zionism for Socialism 
three years before I appeared on the scene, poses obtrusively as 
my "predecessor." In his brazen begging-letters, which he wrote 
me and others, he sets himself up as the discoverer and founder 
of Zionism, because he has written a pamphlet like many an- 
other since Pinsker (whom, after all, I had not read either). 

He now had a few young people make the proposal that the 

• Translator 'i Note: Heal hid ■ tilde iinguittk fun here. ~h4*nd*lkern~ U tl* 

German word for “almond.'* 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 585 
I u f the Action, Committee be elected directly 
«^‘ v lht Congreu And thi, creature, who at the fim 
Auembly of the Jew, ha, no other thought but to get 
S^ll voted a .upend, ha, the nerve to compare humelf to me. 
in hi. thnorring letter,, here. too. the audacity along with 
c^jnng The .ecTelary -general, a, muted lepicvenutiv e ol 
^ togreu. u .opposed to counter balance the other twenty- 
members of the Action, Committee! 

I declared that I could not imagine how under such circum- 
tunces anyone would accept a seal on that committee 
The motion fell through ignominiously. It was the only dis- 
cordant note at the Congress, instigated by Schalit. a young man 

whom I had showered with kindness. 

Mrs. Sonnenschem of the American Jeweu said to me during 
ihis incident— I had handed the chair over to Nordau— "They 
trill crucify you yet— and I will be your Magdalene." 

Otherwise everything went quite smoothly. Since I was not in 
the hall during the debate on colonization. Bambus ventured 
to the platform and sneaked himself onto some committee. I let 
the bastard go, also let that rascal Scheid go unscathed, because 
in the meantime the Congress had taken such a turn toward great 
nos that I did not want to spoil the impression any more with 
these annoyances. 

Qu’ils aillent le faire pendre ailleurs [Let them go and get 
themselves hanged elsewhere]. 

Perhaps the most important episode, from the point of view 
of principle — although it may have gone completely unnoticed 
—was my introduction of the representative system, that is, the 

A Wl- TL« * *** — 1 — 1 J - u 


gates 

On taking leave of Nordau, I said to him: "Next year we 
dull define things further. You will become president of the 
Congress, I, of the Executive Committee." 

However, he was unwilling to commit himself in any wray. 

Minor incidents without number. 


586 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZi 

Everybody came to me for information about everything, im. 
portant and indifferent. Four or five people were always talking 
to me at the same time. An enormous mental strain, ninr. 
everybody had to be given a definite decision. I felt as though 
I had to play thirty-two games of chess simultaneously. 

And the Congress was magnificent. Once, while Nordau was 
presiding, I entered the hall from the rear. The long, green 
table on the dais, with the elevated seat of the president, the 
platform draped in green, the table for stenographers and the 
press, all made such a strong impression on me that I quickly 
walked out again, so as not to lose my composure. Later 1 found 
my own explanation why I was so relaxed while everyone else 
was excited and dazed. 

I had no idea how magnificent the CongTess looked in this 
sober concert-hall with its unadorned grey walls. I had had no 
previous experience of such things, otherwise I, too, would 
probably have been swept with emotion. 

And my best memory of these Congress days is of a few quarter- 
hour chats at night on the balcony of the Hotel Trois Rois with 
that fine old banker Gustav G. Cohen, whom I had nicknamed 
' Beaujolais fleuri" after the small French wine he drank at meals. 


September 4 , on the train to Ischl 

When, upon my return two days ago, 1 came into the office 
of the N. Ft. Ft., a salvo of laughter greeted my appearance in 
the city room. The chorus was composed of Sthiitz, Kollmer 
(nd kohn), Oppenheim, etc. 

I put a good fate on it. When I entered Bather’s room, he 
received rne with an uncertain smile. He didn't want to hear 
a word about that business, he said. But I had learned from 
Miinz that he had sent for all the Swiss newspapers. 

I hen we talked for half an hour about everyday matters. He 
told me the story of a thrilling detective novel he had just read. 

I he funny thing about it was that he kept turning »o that I 
wouldn t catch sight of the thick packet of newspapers in his 


COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 587 

««rkrt They were the Swiss papers which had just 
outer coat pocwci. , 

anivtti- 

Newlinski has now proved himself a scoundrel toward me 

teTday. when I called on him in order to discuss the results 
, . 0^1 Congress and the next moves to be made in Turkey. 

£ told roe that he had spoken with Edmond Rothschild in 

Ttas thunderstruck, for he could only have gone to Roth 
tchild as a traitor. For an entree he had probably used my con- 
Wenual letters, in which I wrote about my plans for the Con- 

acted very reserved, did not want to name the persons who 
had put him in touch with Rothschild. I presume it was that 
other rascal, Scheid. 

Fortunately I managed to keep myself under control. He told 
me Rothschild had expressed the opinion that my Jewish State 
had done a lot of damage; Rothschild was against me. 

From now on I shall be on my guard against this scoundrel, 
but 1 must not break with him, because he can do me enormous 
harm in Constantinople— far more harm than he could ever have 
done me good. 1 did not even dare to let on what I thought of 
his low-down trick. I even wound up by telling him. as though 
1 believed in his sincerity, that he had done well to join me. now 
that I was obviously in control of the entire movement. 

"Four nr vous iles pas rmbarqu/ sur une mauvaise galere 
[You didn't get aboard a bad hooker].'* 

• • • 

Italian and French papers report that the Vatican has issued 
a circular letter protesting in the name of Christendom against 
d* projected occupation of the Holy Places by the Jews. One 
fJ f these days I plan to ask the Viennese Nuncio for a confidential 

audience. 


588 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

On my return to Vienna the day after tomorrow, I intend 
to address the following letter to Count Hadeni: 

Your Excellency will, I hope, remember your humble servant 
from the negotiations about a newspaj>er which were conducted 
two years ago. 

Until now I have made no use of the permission, most gra- 
ciously accorded me then, to request a private audience at vime 
time. 

Now there is an occasion of whose importance I hope to con- 
vince Your Excellency if I am favored with a chance to explain 
it. However, I beg Your Excellency not to gTant me the confer- 
ence at the time of the general audiences, but perhaps some 
evening, when Your Excellency has a free half-hour. Also, it 
would be desirable in the interest of complete secrecy if Your 
Excellency notified me not through official channels, but di- 
rectly: on such-and-such a day, at such-and-such an hour. 

Assuring Your Excellency of my absolute devotion, I am 

Most respectfully, 

Dr. Theodor Herd. 

September 6, on the train to Vienna 

For the time being I am not sending the letter to Badeni, in 
order to wait and see what attitude the N. Fr. Pr. is going to take 
after Renedikt’s return. 

However, I will in any rase seek immediate contact with the 
Papal Nuncio in Vienna — if he will receive me — and get the 
Congress report into the hands of the German Kaiser. 

• • • 


A Basel memory. 

In deference to religious considerations. I went to the syna- 
gogue on Saturday before the Congress. The head of the congre- 
gation called me up to the Torah. I had the brother-in-law of 
my Paris friend Beer, Mr. Markus of Meran, drill the brokht 
[benediction] into me. And then I ( limbed the steps to the altar, 


THE COMPLEX DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 589 
.vetted than on all the CongrcM days. The lew He- 
!*“ words „( the brokhe caused me more anx.ety than my 
dosing address and the whole dtrection of the 

proceedings- 

September 9, Vienna 

Bimbaum. more brazen and beggar-l.ke, is playing all h.s 
^ to become secretary -general As yet there u not a penny 
initcripts and already he wants his debts paid by the committee 
a well aTa job (evidently a lifetime one) paymg-at least-. 800 

^wha^For a pamphlet, which has remained obscure, and 
a few articles. 

When I appeared on the scene, he had been away from / .on.sm 
for three years, having gone over to Socialism. 

Despite this he had it spread around in Basel that without 
Bimbaum. Heal and the Basel CongTe** would not have been 
possible. Great applause! 

I knew my people when I had the "group ‘ photographed in 
the Caf* Louvre. 

Rabbi Seff made an interesting proposal. The Russian Jews 
in Amenca should be trained. 

I had an idea along this line: Jewish rifle clubs. 


Goldbaum sent me the following item from a German paper: 
London. Sept. 7 (TelegT) . The Daily Srw$ reports from Rome 
that Msgr. Bonetti. the apostolic representative in Omstanti- 
nople, has delivered a holograph letter to the Pope from the 
Sultan expressing the latter's satisfaction at the imminent peace 
treaty The Pope is reported to have called Msgr. Bonetti to 
Rome in order to consult with him on measures to be taken 
tpiw the Zionist movement. In this matter the Pope is said to 
have turned to France as well, as the protector of the Christians 
» the Orient (?). 


590 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

Even earlier, Italian papers had taken over from the Osserva- 
tore Romano the news that the Vatican intended to make a pro- 
test against the occupation of Palestine by Jews. 

I am now writing the following letter to the local Nuncio, 
Msgr. Emigidius Taliani, Archbishop of Sebaste, Apost. Nuncio: 

Monsignor:* 

1 have the honor of requesting Your Excellency for an audience 
in order to speak to you about Zionism, a movement which quite 
recently held its CongTess at Basel, under my chairmanship. Dur- 
ing the past year I had the honor of having a rather lengthy talk 
on the subject with Your Excellency’s illustrious predecawr, 
Monsignor Agliardi. Since then important events have taken 
place. I humbly believe that it would be of some interest to HU 
Holiness the Pope to have accurate information about our move- 
ment, and I should be happy to furnish it to Your Excellency 
with absolute frankness and in the hope of not displeasing HU 
Holiness. The news items in the press are, for the most part, 
absurd travesties, and they could inspire regrettable judgmenu 
as well as decisions that might be irremediable. 1 have friends 
in Rome, but not everything can be explained in writing, and in 
my opinion it is urgent that 1 be heard before Roma sit locuta 
[Rome has spoken]. I have every reason to believe that the en- 
lightened leaders of the Church will not regTet having listened to 
me. Until this day I have not betrayed the confidence of the 
princes and the statesmen who have honored me with it. Do per- 
mit me to assure you in advance of my absolute discretion. 

Since I am still in the country, I beg Your Excellency to ad- 
dress the reply you might care to make to me at the offices of 
the newspaper Die Welt, Vienna II, Rein brand tstrassc n. My 
associates will immediately forward the letter to me; it might 
be useful to put it in an envelope without a coal of arms. 

If Your Excellency is kind enough to receive me, I should 
like to request that I be scheduled for an evening hour when 
there will be no other visitors. 


* In French in the original. 


COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 591 
Altaic aatp*. Monsignor, these expressions ol my deep respect 

absolute drvouo" Dr. Theodor Herrl. 


September 1 1 


Received a card from the secretary of the nunciature: the 
Nunao is receiving every day between .o and it a m. So he 
too not wish to receive me separately, but in the general audi- 
ence I shall go there on T uesday the 14th. 

In today s Neues Wiener Tagblatt, the second editorial about 
dw Zionist Congress. Dry presentation of the facts with subtle 
malice toward the N. Fr. Pr., “whose roost prominent contribu- 
tor, Dr. Th. H.. was president of the CongTess. 

gacher was extraordinarily amiable today. 

When we were leaving. S. Mum came and told us that the 
Pope had called Msgr. Bonetti from Constantinople to Rome, 
in order to discuss steps against Zionism with him. 

» 1 • a. rmliltr It V for ZlOIl * 


Vfunz abondait dans ce sens [also was of this opinion]: hadn t 
I got this item into the papers? 

I aid: Don't give me credit for any such Macchiavellian de- 
signs. I am a posheter yid [simple Jew). 

Bather laughed. 


September 13. Vienna 

Evenu tome and go about which I would have written many 
pages in the early period of the movement. Now they rush past, 
crowd one another out, before I have had time to gel them down. 

The Nuncio did not receive me when I came. HU servant told 
®e in broken German: “You are quite unknown to His Excel- 
lency. Come back when Msgr. Montagnini U here." 

Inunhedout. 

R°tnc seems to have calmed down since then. It was a fausse 


592 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

alerte [false alarm]. Perhaps they took the Rothschilds' word for 
it that there was “nothing to it.” Sooner or later I shall have to 
start a campaign against the Rothschilds. Titre tout indiqui 
[The definitely indicated title]: “The House of Rothschild"— 
objective presentation of the world menace that this octopus 
constitutes. 

In the Politische Korrespondenz there was a disdainful denial 
to the effect that the Curia had not made the Zionist Congress the 
object of diplomatic action, and would not do so in the future 
either. 

However. Rome did get interested in it. 

Newlinski performed me an honest service in his Correspond- 
ance de I’Est, in the form of two articles, the first of which paci- 
fied Rome, the second, Constantinople. 

The day before yesterday I went to see him at SteinamangeT 
— he had called me urgently from Vasvar — and in the shabby 
restaurant at the railroad station we drafted the letter which I 
am to write the Sultan. The letter will go off tomorrow, to Nun 
Bey. 

Newlinski is my directeur du protocole [protocol counselor), 
he tells me the hundred-and-one petty details of diplomatic eti- 
quette, e.g., that the letter to the Sultan is to be sealed with five 
seals, but should bear no inscription. 

He told me that ready money should be made available for 
Nuri Bey — une vingtaine de mille francs comme entree en 
matiere [some twenty thousand francs to start with]. And our 
movement consists of beggars, even though in the background 
there are the big moneybags of the I.C.A., etc. What feats I am 
performing in this respect will never be understood, ncveT ap 
predated. 

I must make my tools myself to fell the tree. The Stone Age 
of politics! 

Today, incidentally, I plan to stir up the committee, so that 
they will help after all! 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER/L 593 
. . Rtntdikt returned troro his vacation. He made a 
JTto Ion,, a. me. 1 .poke unabashed!, about the Congress. 

U'levi «lcni. furious. 

Whereupon 1 .witched to pleasant subjects. 

September 24 

Last night, session of the Inaction Committee at Dr. Kokesth s. 

^ Bimbaum, the "secretary-general." has as his only general 
pt ,on to date one document which guarantees him employ* 
mr nt for one year and agatnst whtch he wants to rent fum, tore. 

Mv good Schnirer. who is certainly as honest as the day is long 
and an energetic person, demanded as the most important lh '"« 
ao “agenda" for the Actions Committee. But behind this guilc- 
Imness there may be the wish to interfere with me. 

| requested the gentlemen first of all to raise some money for 
the * action." So far I have simply paid everything that has been 
needed out of my pocket. If the committee wishes to "«>rule. 
it must first pass the test of strength— getting 5000 guilders into 

the treasury. 

Kokesch declares this to be a flat impossibility. Quod est 
demonstrandum [Which has to be demonstrated] He is a fine 
person, too, but where would we be if we were dependent upon 
him. 

They want to issue coupon books on the shekel. I figure 
that in this way 835 guilders — and 75 kreurers will be on hand. 

unless I make a drive. 

After I have made it. Kokest h will probably believe that with- 

- . . _ - .. « 1 ! 


October 6 (Day of Atonement) 

I am now tacking the Jewish Company .* 

The Basel Congress meant the creation of the Society of Jew » 
looking forward to the Jewish State, although with opportunistic 

• la taflith la the original 


594 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

modifications and weakly executed. The work of the coming year 
will be the establishment of the Jewish Company, provisionally 
named the Jewish Colonial Rank. 

I have entered into correspondence on the subject with Schid- 
rowitz, who is on news agency duty in I-ondon, and I am writing 
a pseudonymous article, intended to open the discussion, for 
the next number of the Welt. 

During the coming months the idea of a bank will arouse the 
lower instincts of Israel, just as the idea of the Congress fright- 
ened the higher ones and ended by inspiring them. 

October 17 

On idle days I am too exhausted, on full ones too occupied, 
to make any entries in this diary. Thus it actually becomes pooreT 
and poorer while the movement becomes richer and richer. 
When I began to write down the novel of my life, all the shadows 
that moved across my soul, and all the lights as well, were on 
these pages. Now everything has moved up to the surface. I am 
also more aware of my responsibility to express myself about 
persons, because obviously these diaries will some day be ma- 
terial for the history of the Jews. 

In this way a great deal goes by unrecorded. Yet there are de- 
tails of great significance, such as this one: 

A few days ago I told young Schalit, whom I had hired as an 
editor of the Welt upon his request, to write a letter. Another 
student was present in the office, and Schalit acted as though he 
had not heard my instructions. When we were alone again, he 
requested me not to give him such orders in front of strangers. 
I said that he could well put up with this. He retorted that I did 
not realize how frequently I insulted people. 

I: “When did I ever offend you?" 

He: “For instance, in Basel, at the preliminary conference, 
when you yelled to me to stand by the door and let no one in. 

Then it suddenly occurred to me that at the Congress this 
Schalit was responsible for the Birnhaum incident, the only 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 595 

the three days. In Basel I forgave him for it, because I 
15 * for thoughtlcuncss and ineptitude. Now I recogniied it 
“ ,1m it waa: an act of revenge. 

• • • 

Lut night at half past ten. when I returned from the theater. 

1 found a telephone message from Bather, asking me to come to 
ihc office right away. I thought a brawl over ray amtlc Mau- 
.cher was in the offing and once again got ready to do battle. 
These alerts don’t do one’s heart any good, but they strengthen 

I nun morally. 

fame alette [false alarmj. All he wanted was a change in a 
brief item that I had written for today's number. 

• • • 

The Daily Chronicle proposes a European conference for the 
iculcment of the Jewish Question, as the Pall Mall Gazette had 
proposed previously. This gives me a talking point for my re- 
quest to the German Raiser for an audience. 

• • • 

Draft (first to be discussed with Hechler): 

Your Imperial Majesty: 

At the suggestion of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of 
Baden 1 am addressing a respectful request for an audience di- 
rectly to Your Imperial Highness. 

Through my book The Jewish State, which was published 
early in 1896, there came into being in all parts of the world a 
movement called the Zionist movement. It has stirred many 
hundreds of thousands of people. 

On the last three days of this past August, *04 representatives 
of the Jewish people from all countries assembled at Basel. This 
0 »gr« of Jews, which elected me President, formulated the 
P ro gram of Zionism: the creation of a publicly and legally safe- 
flnnded home for those Jews who cannot or will not assimilate 
U1 present places of residence. 


596 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

A few days ago a proposal appeared in the British press to 
convene a European conference for the discussion and solution 
of this problem which exists in so many countries. Journals of 
the most divergent lines — such as the conservative I'all Af all 
Gazette and the radical Daily Chronicle — have agTeed on the 
necessity of such a conference. Apart from the fact that the so- 
lution of the Jewish Question would also mean the solution of 
part of the Near Eastern question, a relocation in colonies of 
the non absorbable part of Jewry would be a relief to most coun- 
tries, in which the Jews are either perishing in dire financial 
straits, are being driven into the arms of the revolutionary par- 
ties through social ostracism, or dominate financial affairs in a 
way deeply regretted by us non-moneyed Jews. 

I must fear I should be unable to gain the attention of Your 
Imperial Majesty for a lengthy discussion in writing. This ex- 
tremely weighty matter gives rise to so many questions that even 
the most cursory treatment would have to be unbearably prolix. 

If I am most graciously granted an audience, I believe 1 shall 
be able to furnish information on all details. 

Our movement, which is already wide-spread, has everywhere 
to fight an embittered battle with the revolutionary parties 
which rightly sense an adversary in it. We are in need of en- 
couragement, even though it has to be a carefully kept secret 
I am placing all my hopes in the Kaiser, who looks beyond ihr 
seas with a vision as wide as the world and of whose deeds his- 
tory will extol precisely those which are not understood by the 
petty people of the present. 

Whenever and wherever Your Majesty may summon me for 
an audience, I shall be at hand immediately. 

With profound respect, I remain 

Your imperial Majesty's very obedient servant 
I)r. Th. H. 

To the Grand Duke of Baden: 

Your Royal Highness: 

Once more 1 take the liberty of respectfully invoking the aid 


TH E COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 597 

Royal Highness. The movement, about which I was 
°* Y °^ sl to make a report one unforgettable day in Karlsruhe, 
^ CrBU become a subject of international discussion, particu- 
Sr lhmugh the Basel Congress. The struggles and sufferings 
j have had to go through in the meantime for this humane proj- 
have been difficult enough. Now. public opinion in England 
falling for a European conference on the tentorial solution 

of the Jewish Question. 

Last year Your Royal Highness advised me most graciously to 
address a request for an audience directly to His Imperial Maj- 
ory. Fearing that my application could go unnoticed among 
countless similar ones, I have been waiting for a sufficiently seri- 
ous occasion. This now seems to me to be at hand. 

If Your Royal Highness would have the goodness to hand my 
enclosed letter to the Kaiser now that he is staying in Karlsruhe, 
or to send it on to him, I should know at least that His Majesty 
has received my request. 

May God. who has set the princes so far above the other peo- 
ple and en I ighiens them, be with my truly serious request. 

With deepest respect and gratitude, 1 remain 

Your Royal Highness devoted 

Dr. Th. H. 

Dated and mailed on Oc tober t *. 

Will an answer come??? 


October 17 

Something strange has happened now. On the day after this 
letter had gone off, the Grand Duke of Baden, who had been 
Imng most quietly for a long time, suddenly stepped into the 
European spotlight. 

He had wished to visit the (aar, who was staying at Darmstadt, 
“d this request was denied. The Grand Duke published this 
htt in the Karlsruhe Court Gazette — and then the hundred- 
dioutand bells of the world press began to ring. 

Where is my poor letter now? After all. I know from the hustle 


598 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZL 

and bustle at my own Congress that at such a moment one no 
longer knows ou dormer de la tile [whether one is coming or 
going]. 

But how odd is this coincidence that I had to write a lost let* 
ter to the Grand Duke at the precise moment that quiet man 
gets into a hurly-burly. One day earlier he might have listened 
to me — et encore [and then]! 

On the other hand, a possibility of rendering him a little 
courtesy has opened up. On the occasion of the denied visit, the 
N. Fr. Pr. published a very sympathetic editorial (by Goldbaumi, 
and yesterday 1 sent it to the Grand Duke. 

Will he express his thanks and, to show his appreciation, for- 
ward my letter to the Kaiser? After all, that is all I need. Once 
I have that audience with the Kaiser, a great deal will have been 
gained. 

But I don’t believe it. Since I have been receiving so many 
letters myself, I have known how hard-hearted the recipient of 
much mail becomes toward his correspondents. And compared 
to him, I am still young, poor, powerless. 

Lefons des choses [Object lessons]! I am getting to know life 
from many sides. 

• • • 

Goldbaumi While rummaging around yesterday, I happened 
to come across the page-proofs of the Jewish Stale, which he had 
returned to me uncut. 

Now he writes Zionist articles for the Welt as ’’Spectator." 

• • • 

Dr. Mandclstamm of Kiev is trying to induce a few Kiev mil- 
lionaires to give money for the formation of a newspaper joint- 
stock company. One million required. My father and I are will- 
ing to give 100,000 guilders if the Russians contribute the 
remaining 900,000. 

Following Mandelstamm's advice I am sending a business rep- 
resenutive (Steiner) to Kiev. 


COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 599 

& - er w jshcd to have it stipulated that his name would be 
• h oaper on equal terms with mine. This I categorically re- 
will merely be chief business manager— if something 

“Ttfam already so exhausted that I don’t care whether the 
pper materializes or not. I have been wasteful in managing my 

If the Russians put up enough money, it might be possible 
ercn to force the N. Fr. Pr. to capitulate. With three millions 1 
on easily buy it out. and that would of course be the best thing. 
With the N. Fr. Pr. in our hands we could work wonders. Vede- 

remo [We shall see]. 


On my walk this afternoon, powerful daydreams once again: 
about a trip to Palestine next Spring. If I establish the news- 
paper as well as the Jewish Bank in the coming months, then the 
ihip that I charter for the voyage will no doubt cause a sensation 
in the Mediterranean. 

At the head of a newspaper, supported by a new Ottoman 
Bank, I am certain of a gala reception by the Sultan. 

Fantasies! 

But the man who brought the daydreams he had while strolling 
through the Tuilerics gardens and the Palais Royal in June, 1895 
to Basel and the Congress may yet sail the Mediterranean Sea as 
a Jew returning home. 

But I am as tired as an old man. 

• • • 

In this week’s number of the Welt, I had Kellner launch the 
Jewish Trades Unions .• 

An article in the Jewish Chronicle by Mr. Delaforce fwho 
something else — namely, the formation of the traditional 
Eogluh Trades Unions in every country) had given me the idea 

*l»U|)hh in original. 


600 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

of setting up, in the form of such Trades Unions, the working- 
men's cadres for the coming migration. 

Kellner didn’t quite understand me; but in the discussion 
which is being started, it will be possible to develop the idea. 

November 5 

I sent Steiner to Kiev to speak with Brodsky about the paper 
which is to be founded. Steiner reports that B., whom Prof. 
Mandelstamm had prepared, has been won for the project. 

November 5 

Today, a row with Bacher. 

Bloch's Wochenschrift carried a perfidious article: ‘'Herzl and 

tli, \ / r P 

After we had taken care of our editorial matters, there was the 
Wochenschrift lying on Bacher’s desk. He asked whether I had 
put it there. I hadn’t. But why didn't he read it. He did. Mean- 
while I looked out the window. I didn't want to leave l>efore he 
had finished. Then he said: "This is unbearable. You have to 
choose between us and the Well.” 

I said: "I have acceded to your request not to sign my name in 
the Welt. I can't go any farther. If you consider it incompatible, 
please tell me so formally. I have made a pledge. It is as if you 
presumed that I would not keep my word. A man depends upon 
his word. I shall keep mine, no matter what may be destroyed .” 

At this — he backed down, gave the conversation a turn to more 
general things, and we argued about the policy of the N. Ft. Pt. 

He even said good-bye to me with gTeat cordiality. 

I won today’s battle. Tomorrow it will probably start up again, 
on account of my article "The Hunt in Bohemia.” It is a creep- 
ing crisis with a certain end — my end. 

November M 

This afternoon, read my Ghetto at Countess KielmannseggT 
The Count (the governor) came in during the second act, saying 


thE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 601 

he was very busy and could only stay a moment. Then he re- 
amed to the end. with growing interest. 

It had come about in this way. Ten days ago I decided to give 
the Ghetto to Director Jauner for the < jirltheater. It was simply 
that 1 expected once again, as so often before in these past two 
-an to be removed from the N. Fr. Pr. Once out of it, I would 
heboycotted. Not a soul would take anything from me any 
longer: least of all would a theatre director risk incurring the 
^pleasure of the N. Fr. Pr. because of a Jewish play. 

I called Jauner to my place nine days ago and read the 
Ghetto to him. He was delighted, laughed, cried. Only, mis- 
giving* about censorship! Would be best, he said, if I read the 
play to the governor’s wife. I consented, he spoke with the 
Countess — and this afternoon I read it. Reading a great success. 

Afterwards I spoke with the governor about the Dreyfus affair 
which, strangely enough, is active again at this particular time 
just as it was three years ago, at the time when I was writing the 
Ghetto. 


November <9 

Badeni is overthrown. I have been to Parliament during the 
paw few days, watching the last mistakes of this amiable man, 
who began with too much hand-shaking in the C hamber of 
Deputies and ended by having the police marrh in — I happened 
to be a witness to both the first and the last sessions under Prime 
Minister Badeni 

The day before yesterday and yesterday, the revolution spilled 
from Parliament out into the street, and yesterday afternoon the 
Enipemr dropped Badeni. 

I had to think of what he told me two years ago: "Je ne foutrai 
P* le camp [I won't beat it]! ...” It u not impossible 
•hat many things would have happened differently in Austria if 
I had accepted his proposition at that time and become a better 
counselor to him than Privy Councilors Feiberg and Halban, 
*ho were around him. 


602 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

How many acts of cowardice make a battlel 

Gautsch, a plucky and pliable official, is his successor. 

He is of the Taaffe school and will probably work with the 
anti-Semites again. I don't think he will last long, and after him 
will come the clericals. The Jews are making a bad exchange. 
The N. Fr. Pr., which had headed the lynch-justice campaign 
against the language ordinances, will no doubt soon bitterly re- 
gret that Baden i is gone. 

The policy 1 have to pursue for my movement is not clear to 
me yet. For the present, wait and see. 

• • • 

Nordau writes that he is trying to be received by the German 
Kaiser in causa Zionism. If he manages it, he will be the head 
man in the procession I have created. But it’s all right with me. 
Let the cause grow over my head. I am writing him my consent 
and asking him also to go to Pobedonostsev and to the Czar. I 
am writing him further that I want to make him governor of 
the Jewish Bank. Jealousy is stupid; then, too, I am not “on the 
make.” My present dream: to write a verse play (Renaissance 
costumes). 

Nordau also reports someone came to see him about a loan 
for the Turkish government. The latter wants 40 million francs 
and is willing to give in return the concession for the railroad 
between the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Persia as well as the 
right to settle 70,000 square kilometers in Palestine. Lnfortu- 
nately the rich bastards arc not available to us, and the Bank 
does not exist yet. 

Nobember 19 

It has occurred to me to offer Nordau's loan to the Jewish 
Colonisation Association .* 1 am writing him to see Zadoc Kahn 
and tell him that I offer to withdraw from the movement if the 
I.C.A. carries this out. 


• In English in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 603 

Vienna, November 29, 1897, at night 

Dearest Friend: 

A letter that arrived this afternoon prompts me to wme you 

once more today. 

The matter of the Turkish loan is very important, and the 
gives me an idea of where the resources might be found. 
The Jewish Colonisation Association • (Hirsch Fund) is to have 
its meeting in Paris in a few days. All the gentlemen will be 

present. 

I would now ask you to submit ray following proposals to 
Zadoc Kahn personally. He is the suitable intermediary and also, 
as far as I know, one of the LC A.’s most influential members. 
The I.C.A. is to handle the matter. The procedure would be as 

follows: 

The Jewish Colonial Bank (t million pounds sterling) is 
founded right away. Administrative board: the gentlemen of 
the I.C.A. The shares • can easily l>e plated, and I think I can do 
so even with my present machinery. With the I.C.A. behind it 
themattcT will be child's play anvway. Next this bank concludes 
the loan you mentioned tome with the Turkish government. The 
I.C.A. participates in it in a manner to be defined later, and, as 
tenuity for the loan it grants to the bank, it receives the lands 
ceded by the government. This is the rough outline. 

In return we offer the following service: we place our entire 
propaganda machinery at the disposal of the I.C.A., set up the 
subscription on the broadest base, and I pledge my word of 
hooor to withdraw completely from the direction of Zionist af- 
fairs. This last item should convince the gentlemen that I am 
neither a politician* nor a financier and that I have no ulterior 
motives in the proposal. 

(Between us, I am already worn out by all the struggles and 

<fiftniltiet.) 


• • • 


* !• tafluii Id the original. 


604 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

Again a hesitation as 1 was writing — letter suspended for the 
time being. The I.C.A. would not understand the matter yet. 

December i 

Received today a letter from the Grand Duke of Baden: the 
Kaiser cannot receive me. but would be glad to read my account 
of the Basel Congress. 

• • • 

. Today I am writing to Caster to set up an administrative board 
for the Bank for me. 

To Zadoc Kahn, to call on Nordau, if I.C.A. is so inclined, 
regarding the proposal for a Turkish loan which has been made 
to Nordau. 

December n 

I oday the wealthy Poznanski from Lodz came to see me. A 
plain, but intelligent man. He had first sent me the I>odz assist- 
ant rabbi Dr. Jelski, who had accompanied him to this city to 
speak with me. Had he expected me to call on him at his hotel? 
I sent him word that 1 was expecting him at my home. 

The conversation revolved about general things for a long 
time. Finally we got onto the subject of the Bank, which he is 
greatly interested in. He plans to come back tomorrow morning. 
He would like to found the Bank with 10 million pounds sterling 
share capital. 

One million shares, with a yearly payment of one pound. 

0 0 0 

Today I would content myself with Poznanski's joining the 
movement. That is to say, I have already given the matter so 

much prestige that no Rothschild is needed for backing any 
longer. 

If P. cannot be had cither, the whole thing must simply seek 
a broader base. 

• • • 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 605 
Letter to Nordau: 

^Tbanks for your letter of the 5 th of this month. The Battle of 
lhe Drones still has not reached me. If possible, I want to write 

iboui it in the N. Ft. Pt • 

I am expecting M. de Galart d’un pied ferme [without flinch- 
ing). In the meantime, the most important things have happened 

here 

With the Bank we have reached a turning point in our move- 
ment I roust speak laconically. . . 

For two days I have had as a visitor the richest man in Russian 
Poland J K Poznanski of Lodz. This man is completely sold 
on the cause. However, he feels that the Jewish Bank should not 
have two but five, possibly ten. million pounds sterling in share 
capital. He wishes to join the syndicate whose function it will be 
to guarantee the subscription. The other Russian millionaires are 
as good as certain after he joins. With this the founding of the 
Bank has taken a giant leap forward. 1 am sparing you an ac- 
count of the steps I am taking for this purpose in Eastern Europe. 
In London G aster has already started the ball rolling through 
Seligmann the banker. The syndicate must display names from 
all countries qut r onflenl dans le monde financier [which have 
an impressive sound in the financial world]. 

Now there arises the Rothsc hild question. Poznanski— who, 
however, is prepared to go along without the Rothschilds, if 
necessary, even in opposition to them — first wants us to try to 
get the Rothschilds to adopt an altitude of friendliness or, at 
least, of benevolent neutrality toward the Bank. It iv an ex- 
tremely difficult task, but with skillful leadership it does not 
teem hopeless to me. Of course, contact with the Rothschilds 
oust not be sought directly or in writing. In the course of the 
campaign they would adduce against us any attempted and rr 
jected advances, naturally only in the perfidious manner of the 
financiers who have journalistic hravt (hatchet-men) at their dis- 
P°»l— for a stab in the back* 



606 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

A few weeks ago I published in the Daily Chronicle two arti- 
cles in which I demonstrated the possibility of a financial boycott 
carried on by the Jewish middle classes against the money mag- 
nates at some time in the future. The Rothschilds ought now to 
be given to understand that the projected Jewish Hank could 
possibly serve such a boycott and could be served by it. If they 
learn at the same time that the Bank will come into being at all 
events, they will not treat the matter with aristocratic coolness. 

The expansion of capital, which is being planned now, will, 
in any case, make the Jewish Bank a factor to be reckoned with 
in the financial world as well. The whole question is whether 
these people have sufficient imagination to picture right now 
what will exist three or four months from now, or whether the 
matter will be suitably presented to their imagination, which 
has fallen asleep on their money-bags. In this, Zadoc Kahn can 
be of the greatest help to us. 

The matter must be shown to the Rothschilds earnestly. But 
what do they have to hope or fear from the coming Jewish Rank? 
If they stir up feeling against the Bank or even reject us in an 
injurious manner, I shall initiate guerrilla warfare against the 
House of Rothschild, and if I know you, you will stand by roe 
in this. We shall plot this when the time comes. 

But perhaps it will never come. And I would prefer that for 
political reasons, although I consider these people parasites and 
am furious at them from my very heart. If, then, the R’t neither 
oppose the Bank nor reject it a limine [outright], it <an be useful 
to them in two ways: 1 . as Jews, since the Bank is to bring about 
the solution of the Jewish Question: t. as businessmen, since 
the Bank can bring them benefits in many ways. Contrary to 
Poznanski's view, I would consider it sensible if the Rothschilds 
did not take any oven pan in the Bank. Otherwise people would 
say that all of juiverie financiere [financial Jewry] was gath- 
ered there, and the Bank would from the outset have to fight 
certain antipathies (of course, at the same time it would give 
the impression of tremendous power), while without the Roth- 
schilds it might give the appearance of being against the R » a °d 


T Ht COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 607 
- lir sympathy. However, if the R’s had some influence 
^hTEnk through representatives, they could safeguard them- 
°° ‘ * manv wavs under this cover. It is an old idea of mine— 
\a the only reason 1 am telling it to no one but you is that u 
r uld make me suspect of giganfume-that the Rothschilds will 
, juch a bank if one day they liquidate out of fear of general 
l^d or wish to safeguard their fortune (which appears to have 
orosm beyond the possibility of financial catastrophies). 

To what extent the minds of these people are at all receptive 
u, ,uch an idea is naturally beyond ray judgment. 

However, 1 think I have presented the state of affairs clearly 
enough to you. And from this there follows, too. the form of 
your participation, for which I am not bothering to ask you. be- 
au* I simply presuppose it as the logical consequence of what 
you hase done for the cause up to now. 1 believe you ought to 
approach Zadoc Kahn in the way that seems best to you. and 
with the greatest dispatch Everything only orally, of course. You 
be the judge of how to broach the matter to him. He is a fine 
human being and a good Jew, but also devoted to the R f- He is 
perceptive and will understand you d demi mot [without many 
words]. He is on good terms with Alphonse R.. with all <»l thrm. 
Stir bun up, show him all that can be done if he helps us. No 
material sacrifice is being asked of these miserable mstchands 
/argent [money merchants]. The way the matter stands today, 
after winning public opinion for our "crazy idea, something 
that we accomplished with our rocTe pens and words, we only 
need the simulacre [semblance] of this syndicate of guarantors to 
make the subscription a tremendous success, thus letting /ion- 
urn grow into a real power. Let him bend every effort to help 
toward that end. 

The Jewish Colonial Bank must actually become the Jewish 
National Bank. Its colonial aspect is only window-dressing, 
hokum, a firm-name. A national financial instrument is to be 
created But if they force us to march off without boots, like the 
*°Mieti of the First Republic, we shall take revenge f«»i 01,1 
distress 


608 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

That is all I shall tell you. You understand me perfectly and 
will put all your energy into it. 

One word more about the next round. In April we shall 
charter a ship (probably making all the arrangements through 
Cook) and go to Palestine for four weeks. Thu is not yet for 
public consumption. 1 am now getting estimates, calculations 
of the costs per participant, etc. It will probably come to 1000 
francs a head. AfteT we return from this excursion, to which we 
will also invite a number of important people, the subscription 
prospectus of the Bank will be issued. This you can tell to /Mac. 
too, but to no one else for the present, because I must first make 
various arrangements in Constantinople. 

Finally: You write that you have connections with Pobcdo- 
nostsev. Could you quickly manage through him or other friends 
in Russia to get the Russian government to permit the creation 
of Zionist associations and collections for Zionist purposes? I 
am told that this is a vital question for our movement in Russia. 
The powerful man now is said to be Minister Goremikin. In 
Russian Poland, the governor is Prince Imeretinski, and he ought 
to be won over to our side. 

I cannot have this very important letter copied by anyone, nor 
do I have the time to do it myself. Therefore. I am asking you 
to send it back to me after you have taken notes of all necessary 
points in it, because I need it as a document for later. For put- 
ting you to trouble, as — God knows! — I am putting myself to 
trouble, for this I am making no excuses. We arc serious at heart 

With cordial regards, 

Your loyal 
Th. Henl. 

December 18 

After consultation with our treasurer Kremenc/ky 1 hase 
promised Newlinski a monthly subvention of *oo guilders fur 
the (.orrespondence de I'Est. Newlinski thanked me. quite 
touched, saying that this support would save him much burden- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 609 
ewvageney work. I had had no idea that it would seem 
. . , uc h a lot to him. 

u mid me what bad shape the Turkish finances were in. The 

bLadon unab,c to P* y lhc ' r buuhcT S bi,k * Thc Brr,in 

Zbuudor. Galib. had to leave his post because he was out of 
yjjj Vienna one, Mahmud Nedtm, told him (N.) that 
J^'ld hold out two months more; then he would have to 

follow Galib’s example. 

Today Newlinski produced his first article as a correspondent, 
although his traiiement (salary] doesn’t start until January ». 

Mv guiding consideration in this subvention was wunething 
Out Ftirth had told me a few weeks ago about thc Prince of Bul- 
oha that he had begun to take Zionism seriously after reading 
Sc earlier ankles in the Core, de I’Est. That is typical of these 




Berlin. February 4 (1698) 

It is indkative of the rush in which I am now living that I can 
no longer enter the most important things here. 

On January 6, following the Vienna premiere of the Sew 
Ghetto, I came here and intended to describe the peculiar ex- 
citement that attended this premiere. I did not get a chance to 
do it Either I am busy or 1 am exhausted. These days I always 
live in a railroad atmosphere. The train speeds, or the station 
is deserted. 

Not until yesterday, when I had a reunion here in the Palace 
Hotel with the Turkish ambassador Ahmed I ewfik, whom I 
had come here to see at the beginning of January, did I feel the 
necessity of putting down these important events as an especially 
pressing duty. 

Four weeks ago I had two long talks with him. He is a likeable 
nun. moderately intelligent, not unfavorably disposed toward 
the cause, but in a way that has no value for us. He would like 
to attract the |ews to Turkey— but without a territory of their 
own and without autonomy. 


610 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

We want to supply Turkey with funds; in return, he said, we 
would be given a "friendly reception.” 

I told him this was no solution, had no lasting value. It would 
be the settlement of new Armenians in Turkey. 

Incidentally, he declared his readiness to convey to the Sultan 
a memorandum which I am to work up. 

1 went back to Vienna and told Newlinski that Ahmed Tewfik 
did not seem to me to be ripe for the idea. We would have to 
wait some more until T urkey was even worse off. 

Perhaps — and this would not be stupid — T ewfik, for his part, 
reasons: we Turks must wait until the Jews are even worse off. 

To me, of course, this delay is not unwelcome, because 1 
haven’t finished with the financing yet. The bank ts encounter- 
ing great difficulties. The bankers are cautious, cool. 

In January I had a conference in this city with wealthy Berlin 
Jews which Professor Stein of Bern had called. That unpleasant 
episode with Glaser which is recorded in the Welt is involved 
here. 

The rich Berlin Jews listened to an explanation of the pro- 
ject. Maybaum, the Protest Rabbi, had appeared, obtrusively 
and uninvited, at the discussions as well. I "interested the gen- 
tlemen," but in the end, after the complete unveiling, they didn't 
like the bride’s nose. 

However, the moral impression of my explanations was ex- 
cellent, according to what the intelligent young banker Dr. Arons 
told one of the local Zionists. 

I should like to get Arons for the Bank. 

Then it was back to Vienna. In the N. Ft. Ft., where they had 
raged at ray Ghetto before the performam c and caused me nerv- 
ous cardiac pains again, the mood had changed in my favor be- 
cause of the great theatrical success. 

When 1 was here in January, 1 had also paid a call on I.ucan us, 
the head of the Imperial Civil Cabinet. 1 asked him whether I 
ought to request an audience from the Emperor or merely enter 
my name. He gave a slightly superior, yet courteous smile: 
"Leave your card." 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 611 

The Emperor is acquainted with the matter; that was con- 
finned by Lucanus who also told me that it was something fine 
and great. But "the Israelites won't be willing.” 

A qu i le dues vous [You’re telling me]?! 

• • • 

Lat nigh* * again ran into Ahmed Tewfik heTc in the hotel 
w hen I came from dinner. He asked me to keep him company. 

He sard the same thing he had said four weeks ago. Why didn’t 
nc demand a tract of land in Asia Minor; that would be more 

feasible. 

1 rejected that. 

Berlin, February 5 

Joined Ahmed Tewfik for dinner again yesterday. He was al- 
ready about to leave when 1 came into the dining-room, then 
went back with me and kept me company. We chatted for over 
an hour. This time, I believe, I won him over. 

Before his eyes I built a Constantinople and a Turkey of the 
future. 

“ Qmnd voiLi serez grand-vizir, F.xeellence ,” I said, rout me 
Inez venir d Constantinople el je vous recomtruirai la vi lie, 
c 'ett i dire, je vous ferai le % plans [When you are Grand Vizier, 
Your Excellency, you will invite roe to come to Constantinople, 
and I will rebuild the city for you — that is to say, I will make the 
plans for you]." 

He was visibly enthusiastic. 

Newlinski was right that time. One ought to live with these 
Turks, perform services for them for which they are very grate- 
bil. el let amener petit & petit A nous aimer [and gradually get 

diem to love us], 

Tewfik even wanted to attend my Ghetto premiere today. I 
b*d a box reserved for him, and arranged in the play for Wasser- 
to substitute "the Khedive” in the line The Sultan has 
frothed his foot.” 


612 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

Unfortunately the Ambassador begged off today, on account 
of a diplomatic reception. The only reason I wanted to have 
him in the theatre was so that the newspapers would write about 
it. Cela aurait bien fait dam le paysage [It would have looked 
good in the picture]. 

Vienna, February 17 

The Berlin critics demolished my New Ghetto. 

• • • 

I am writing to Nordau to get ready to take over the presidency 
at the next Congress (which, following Wolffsohn's advice. I 
shall have held in Basel rather than Ixmdon). 

The Congress Office and the Headquarters will be transferred 

to Paris after the Congress. 

With this I am combining a warning to Nordau not to let 
himself go in such rash remarks as the one in his last interview 
which is contained in the English papers — namely, that the 
Roman Curia was inciting to murder on the occasion of the 
Dreyfus- Zola affair in France. Such remarks can do our move- 
ment great harm. 

Letter to Nordau: Vienna, February 1 * 

February 2* 1898 

Dearest Friend: 

1 see with pleasure from your denial in the Jewish World 
that you did not make those remarks. My only regret is that you 
did not send a similar declaration to the Welt as well. After all. 
that is what the Welt is for. I realize, of course, that you wanted 
to reach the English readers first. You simply don t know that 
the Catholics who matter in this instance, the higher church dig 
nitaries, watch the Welt but arc not likely to know the Jewish 
World. 

Although you write that Zadoc and E. R. did not let you hear 
from them any more, 1 would still like to ask you to return to 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 615 
. reports Irom London that Sir Edward Sassoon 

* L, the suction to consider the Bank tdea must be 
it the London Rothschilds b, the Pari, ones Then Sassoon 
it hilling IO participate too. You see the actual), s.mple 
TLty we are lacing: to bring those who have declared their 
iiuonal readiness together. I believe that a vigorous and. a, 
a were, hypnotically suggestive procedure on the part ol Intel- 
Lilly superior men will suffice lor it. provided that the, have 

odier kinds ol prestige in the world a, well. 

Therefote I would urgentl, request ,ou to call on /-id'. 
Man broach ihc question once more, and in any case demand 
/Li Yes or No from Rothschild (Edro). We must make our 
tjupoutiofu. The Bank is the point at which we get out into 
reality. It will be created: with the aid of the gros bonnets [big- 
v jp] or in opposition to them. 

Perhaps by now they already understand what awaits them 
even in France and tomorrow in England. It is a question of 
creating a safety-valve— on which they will even make money, 
ptr un triste velour des choses [by a sad turn of affairs]. 

If they leave the Zion movement bogged down in the mud. it. 
loo, will turn against them with a vengeance. 

All this you will certainly present in the proper way. Only, 1 
recommend that you utilize the present mood in Paris. I omor* 
row tranquility will return again, and they will continue to die 
in their palaces of atrophy of the spine. 


Not mailed, because Nordau writes he is under the surveillance 
of the secret police. 


February tj. at night 

Letter to Nordau: 

Dearest Friend: 

It would have been quite welcome to me if you had also used 
*he Welt — at least simultaneously with the Jewish World — for 



614 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR7 L 

your denial of the interview contained in the Xew York Journal 
in which the remark is attributed to you that the Catholic 
Church was inciting to mass murder in France. After all, that is 
what the Welt is for, and as it is, it registers everything that con- 
cerns you with a conscientiousness that probably has not escaped 
you. 

Then, too, a denial would have been more effective from the 
outset in the Welt, which, incidentally, is known in Roman cir- 
cles. 

(By the way, the paper is already costing me a whole pile of 
money. After a year-and-a-half of hesitation, I had to found it 
myself, because no one else wanted to do it and our movement 
was absolutely muzzled.) 

I don’t believe that Zadoc and Edmond R. merely made spcm 
of you. My judgment is that the brain of the latter works ex- 
tremely slowly; but I don’t consider him capable of craftiness 
and mockery. Therefore, a second conference, definitive in any 
direction whatever, would be highly useful, and after the im- 
pression which your previous presentation must have made and 
which immediately afterwards you captured with the vividness 
of a diary in a letter to me, 1 am convinced that the gentlemen 
will be ready for such a conference. Thus I would advise you in 
the interest of the cause to undergo this corvee [drudgery] once 
more, especially because in London they are only waiting for a 
word from Paris. I have a right to suggest this corvte to you, 
because, God knows, I myself slave away day in and day out, 
tackling everything, even tasks and people that 1 feel the great- 
est disgust for. 

Now, to get to your misgivings about the transfer of the head- 
quarters to Paris, I consider this essential. In the present state of 
the movement it is not possible to separate the presidium of 
the Congress from the Executive of the following year. If I *ril 
you this, you can and will believe it. Incidentally, you will he 
convinced of it in your first week in office. The organization that 
was patched together in Basel has rough spots on which I have 
been chafing myself sore ever since. An Executive as the renter 


the complete diaries op 


THEODOR HERZL 615 

omnia""" would “"‘P 1 ' not ** lokn,,ed 

y«n-' "“>* a '<* of “ me ,or K - Whit 

" 1!! I have had With the dilficult.e. arUmg Don. the law, gov 
locution., you will laugh and .hudder. And even that u 
“T* It would be the death ol out movement if our a, 
S like chow ol other nationaht.ev were ever d.»olve<L 
Xh, cowanh would unite into an army agatmt u»-beh.nd 
ibc night-watchman. Insanity! was the 6m objection raised 

apirnt us. High Treason!, the second. 

thday it is absolutely impossible to separate the Executive 
from the annual presidium, because then there would be no 
authority for the conduct of affairs, on the inside as well as on 
the outside. Am I expressing myself too legalistically? You will 

understand it nevertheless. 

A» for Pans. 1 certainly do not consider it as unsuitable as you 
da After all, I know it too, better than you know Vienna. What 
vai possible for me in Vienna, you will be able to do in Pans. 1 
with I had the facilities here that you have there. You are — de- 
spate Dreyfus trials— in a free country. The proximity of Galicia 
iui no significance whatever in this respect. You have no asso- 
ciation with a newspaper? It goes without saying that the Welt 
will be at your full and complete disposal, now as before. You 
nttd only to send in your communiques. Y’ou have no Jewish 
organ uai ion? Well, it will grow up around you, as it did around 
me here. You will create it for yourself. 

I believe, therefore, my dear, admired friend, that your mis- 
giving! are unfounded. To be sure. I well understand that you 
have them, for it is a hard and serious task, and after all. we 
have the affairs of a tremendous distress to conduct, one which 
oo. and undoubtedly will, demand an accounting of us at the 
each year. 

So I cannot see that there are any local difficulties. The only 
qucRion is whether there is not some personal obstacle in your 
^^ out ff*i». my dear friend, we must have a heart-to-heart 
talk as men and B’nat Zion [Sons of Zion] who, 1 believe, are as 
C 10 **6 other at can be. Do you perhaps doubt that you 


616 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

could make such sacrifices of time as 1 have been making every 
day for the past two years and a half? 

The matter is too serious, too many hopes of poor people ride 

every move that is made, or not made, lor us to i.til io conic 
to an understanding about this. Now, 1 certainly don't believe 
that the work of the headquarters will completely occupy you; 
you see that I, for one. am able to run the literary section of the 
N. Fr. Pr. and to edit the Welt on the side. It is a lot of work, 
and it must be done, but fortunately you arc a tremendous 
worker yourself, and it is only a matter of one year, i.e., up to 
the Congress of 1899, which you will prepare, just as I prepared 
those of 1897 and 1898. 

I don't know whether 1 am presenting the matter dearly 
enough, because, after all, many emotional factors are involved. 
As for my desire to rest for one short year, you will find it under- 
standable, and that also goes for my concern over my work up to 
now, which, to be sure, is not as great as the effort expended on 
it. I should like to guarantee the continuation of the edifice, 
because a little of my blood adheres between the first stones. 

February 14 

In line with my promise to Nordau in Basel, I want to give 
him the presidency for this year, even against the will of my 
friends; but only if he takes upon himself the day-to-day work 
for the year as well. 

For the Congress is merely a golden gate, before and behind 
which there lies nothing but toil and contention. It is only fait 
that in addition to the golden honor he also accept the labor. 

But I am not sure yet whether he will be the right man for it. 

People will not appreciate what I have achieved until another 
leader takes my place. 

I have been steadfast in the worst days, calm in the best. 

It takes certain abilities, too; To keep silent when a single 
word could fire enthusiasm. To keep people's courage up even 
when one is inwardly discouraged. Always to grin and bear it. 


COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 617 

™ E ,,, with icoundreU; to Ik- haunted by bfggar*; and to 
• . „, Klc d by pretention* boor*. There beggar* would 

J“£“tte boot*, if they had money, and vice ver*a On top ol 

5“ treachery, imidiou* attack*, and no rewarda-lor of 

this, envy, # 

raunc I have done it out ol vanity. 

Notdau stand thur Will he not be overcome by rage and 


J-rtTf.* mv 


work.' 


March is 

Rivalnes are beginning I still haven't finished the prepara 
ODD) and they already want to depose me. At the conference on 
March 6 the English Zionists joined with the Basel ones, to be 
nrr but the next Congress is to decide where the Central Com 
fuller* is to be located Why is something so obvious statedr 
Because it is a declaration that the Vienna Committee • must last 
only until the Second CongTess. then will be the turn of the 
London Committee. 9 
Well, it's quite all right with me. 

• • • 

In the sessions ol the Actions Committee, only everyday de- 
tails are settled. 

Schnirer u too busy to be able to work for the Committee, 
koine h formally takes care of incoming contributions. Minu 
wiki frequently. Rremeneiky is limited in every way by his po- 
uonn. Still, it would be the greatest injustice to disparage these 
coworkm of mine. They honestly do what they can. The only 
dung is that we don't have enough money for a major action. 
The ihekel contributions trickle in, the demands are great. 

I never bring up my plans and ac lions in the meetings, be- 
Qu * Bimhaum is taking the minutes as secretary -general — and 
pibenng material” for his future indiscretions. This is the 
*Tpiral enemy, who, however, cannot be got rid of, berause he 

’(■UsM ttiUMoricfaul 


618 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

threatens he would starve. If you don't feed his face for life, h* 
can bring disgrace to the movement yet. But perhaps he will 
anyway. 

• • • 

My chief service to the movement is that I am giving it pres- 
tige. The funds are certainly available “in principle"— but at 
the moment not in actuality. The future availability of these 
funds is making a certain impression even now, thanks to me. 
For the jheAe/ funds will flow in in ever greater quantities; then 
it will be no feat to direct the movement. But today, with the 
lousy few pennies, to give out subventions, attract the hangervon 
of power, and what not — that is a feat. 

My wish for Basel: to transfer the entire financial structure to 
England. Months ago, when I asked Col. Goldsmid to act as 
trustee, he did not want to. Now he is likely to be willing. 

• • • 

I am tired, my heart is out of order. 


March 17 

During the last weeks I have been dreaming vividly about a 
novel. Setting: the newspaper world of Vienna. Three volumes, 
like acts. Hero: a Jewish newspaperman (something like Dr. 
Friedjung) of Rabbinical background who turns Germanic. At 
the university, member of a students' association, German songs, 
ribbons, blark-red-and-gold assimilation. 

First volume: The newspaper d venir [to come]. 

He is disgusted by the corruption of the press, wants to create 
a clean paper, a German one, naturally. But where will the 
money come from? His small capital is not enough. Finally, a 
threadbare would-be newspaper impresario (type F.yssler, Lui- 
tige Blatter) draws up an estimate for him, even brings a fr* 
backers. The paper is founded. Curtain. 

Second volume: The German Paper. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 619 

Soltndid «tar( Publicity. Gang ol literati joining in. poli.i- 
J* who wan. to gel thenuelve. booned. Smack in the noddle. 

fool who doe.nl tee a dung. But all door, open to 
cl^hecause he i» against corruption. For a time, all he tee. it 
STbaas ol bent humanity. Intoxication with power. He fights 
!L„ the food king who control, all the other paper, through 
Shareholding or interest Dewnption of the power of the pres.. 
The turning point. 

Third volume: Collapse. ..... , tk. 

The Germans in Bohemia, etc., refuse to be led by a Jew. The 
paper declines. Like a gambler gone wild he sacrifices every- 
tong to it, first his money, then his principles of purity. The 
impresario manipulates him cleverly. Finally, scandalous col 
lapse Dishonored, he leaves Vienna: the impresario takes over 
the paper, which flourishes. But he has discovered Zion. In the 
first volume he laughed at the crazy members of kad.mah, after 
the breakdown (meanwhile they have grown) he recognizes them 

as solace. . » ■ 

A. he board, the boat, with the .corned, forgotten girl a, hi. 

bride, the curtain falls. 

Types, the teasing wedding- jester J. Bauer, etc. 

The old sighing journalist, who has discovered ta « mv 
celebrities, advanced careers, and in the end turns out t > 
helped only ingrates who despise him. He is ' r 1 ,c 

decent maid. „ K a 

In the first volume, the hero hears about * ’ c 

of Neo-Hebrews (Smolenski. Bierer). who * tr> Ee . 

Asiatics. Now and then, a sound of the gT«»up Kt"' s,n *> 
ity is heard, until their bright victory chant ursts 

close of the novel like a great chord. . 

The Prague jehnorr 6 o*Aer (beggar .ludenlj that Bac 

me about yeuerday ured 10 lit down in ih< Pw‘ ^ u 

"The best thing would be not to be bo • • • 
bom. one ought to be bom as the son of a n< man _ h 

one Un-t bom a, a wm of a rich man. one diould a. !««•»« 


620 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

The Jewish Boh£me. Also, the good, frugal, wonderful petty 
bourgeoisie with its wonderfully worthy women. 


March 18 

Present relationship to the publishers of the N. Ft. Pr. Pleat 
ant with Bacher. Bcnedikt is in the habit of joking: "With Henl 
you’ve got to be careful. Perhaps he is right after all. When he 
comes in, I always believe Jesus Christ is entering.” 

In London Wolffsohn seems to have won the banker Selignunn 
for the Bank. 

When I get the Bank set up, an enormous step will have been 
taken. 


• • • 

Today the idea occurred to me to have the Jewish Communi- 
ties captured everywhere by the Zionists after the Congress. We 
have to be able to give honorary offices to our adherents and 
sinecures to the venal. Unfortunately my undertaking requires 
human beings with humaneness. 


March 18 

Letter to Zadoc Kahn: 

ConfidentielU 

Reverend Sir: 

My dear friend Dr. Nordau has given me an account of hu 
conversations with you. 

In his last letter he informs me that you are prepared to dis- 
cuss the matter of the Bank with Alphonse Rothschild. 

More power to youl A great deal depends on it. 

Nordau has told you that we arc not asking the Rothschilds 
for any sort of financial support or public connection, but only 
for benevolent neutrality, and to put one of their representatives, 
who is known as such to the financial world, on the founding 
committee, later on the administrative board of the Bank. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 621 

One would think that R. must understand what is involved 
l, CTe . Today he will help the national rescue operation by it, 
tomorrow it can be an inestimable benefit to his otvn house. I 
believe the House of Rothschild will have to liquidate in the 
foreseeable future. It is too detested. This anonymous, intangi- 
ble Bank may become useful, even for them. I don't want to 
elaborate on this thought here, since I am usually accused of 
having too lively an imagination. 

At any rate, today you will admit that two years ago, when 
I first had the pleasure of sharing my ideas with you, I estimated 
the general situation of the Jews more correctly than most French 
jews. Oh God, by now I almost stand there like an old prophet — 
to whom people would not listen. At that time I said that the 
"Israelite Frenchmen” would not be spared the change in the 
weather either. 

It is already here. And. believe me, it isn’t over yet. Plenty of 
bad things are still in store, particularly for the big-money Jews. 
I spent four years in France, at the Palais Bourbon, and today 
I view those familiar things even more coolly from a distance. 
One moment of governmental weakness, ef vous m’erx dim des 
nouvellcs — de la rug laffitte [and you will be telling me news of 
it— from the rue 1 -iflitte]. 

However, even without violence in the streets and governmen- 
tal weakness I consider it possible that in France special legisla- 
tion will be passed against particular categories of Jews. The 
droits de I'hommr [rights of man] arc a vieille guitare [old hat], 
and do not forget that in this very France special laws were passed 
against Frenchmen, not “cosmopolites,” and those involved were 
the Frenchmen most deeply rooted in France, whose ancestors 
had ruled the land. 

Hence I believe that a cautious adherence to our movement — 
•pccihcally, as the next practical step, the support of the neces- 
*ary banking facility — also is in the interest of the Frenc h Jews. 

In any case, the Bank will be founded in the next few months, 
wiih financial democracy or with financial aristocracy — I have 



622 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR herzl 

qualified and unqualified promises from England, Cernu 
Russia. The participation, albeit coven, of the biggest Houv 
would make the venture solid from the start, and you will un 
demand what gTeat importance I must attach to keeping the 
deposits of the humblest people entirely free from risk. The 
leaders of the people's movement must, of course, have nothitw 
to do with money manipulations; therefore the Bank must I* 
delivered up to financiers, and that is a real worry. 

I don’t know what you intend to say to Rothschild in order 
to explain to him the planche de salut [last resort] of the Jewish 
people. Do your best; your famous eloquence has never had a 
wonhier subject, although it is only a matter of a bank. I should 
also be glad to come to Paris for a day, if the man wishes infor- 
mation from me. He is an old man and probably incapable of 
rising to vigorous new ideas; but perhaps it will not be impos- 
sible to explain to him that his money-dealer's life will have a 

grand (ondusion if he helps along here — without any kind of 
sacrifice. 

Of course, I don t have much hope of this, for such hearts are 
narrow. I am only WTiting to you because I will not and must 
not neglect anything. If I were interested in personal success. I 
would certainly know how to achieve it. If today I attacked the 
Rothschilds, as a Jew, as someone who by now has influence over 
many hundreds of thousands of people, it would create the great- 
est sensation all over the world. I would have public opinion 
everywhere in my favor, to the extent that it cannot be bought. 

And I am not doing it. A professional politician* would prob- 
ably proceed differently. 

By the Second Basel Congress, to be sure, the matter will have 
to be decided. 

This Congress will attract far more attention even than the 
TSt one. What will be said there will probably reverberate 
t roughout the world. Perhaps it is the nobler mission of the 
new Jewry t° astound the world by a fight against the financiers, 
er aps this will be the rehabilitation of our despised name? 

* In F.nglith in original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 623 
\Vc are a curious people, aren’t we, if all this can take place 

among"- . . . . 

Be assured, at all events, of my continuing and sincere respect. 

Yours faithfully, 
Th. HcttI. 

March 26 

All sons of little disturbances, Froschmduseler* among the 
Viennese university students who are being incited behind my 
back by Bimbaum. He plays the pan of the misunderstood man 
and the martyr, and although we were weak enough to create a 
HneC ure of 1800 guilders annually for him out of the paltry 
dukel monies, in return for which he writes three or four letters 
a week, he is bleeding the students white. 

• • • 


Kellner, my dearest, best friend, whose visits are bright spots 
amidst all the difficulties, reminisced the other day about school- 
boy days in the heder. He was daydreaming in a class when 
they got to the place in the Bible where Moses sings: Exodus, 15. 

I immediately looked up the passage, and it moved me. Sud- 
denly the idea popped into my mind to wTite a Biblical drama. 
Moses. 

The conditions in Egypt, the internal and external struggles, 
the exodus, the desert. Moses’ death. I imagine him as a tall, 
htal. superior man with a sense of humor. The drama: how he 
is shaken inwardly and yet holds himself upright by his will. 
He is the leader, because he does not want to be. Everything 
gives way before him, because he has no personal desire. He does 
°ot care about the goal, but about the migration. Education 
through migration. 

*TtiMlaiOT't Note: An iIIimIoo lo ftotthmrvuUf In C«ai| |oUr»hi<r» 

» M dwk aadnol brut rpk in ihr auw at the RHuftnanon Rollmhien i •«! 

Battle homy omaehta (The Baltic at (he Fro*» aad Mkc). a Gtect 

1®°^ <4 it* Hotartu rpk 


624 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER?L 

Act I. Moses’ Return to Egypt. Conditions, wretchedness of th f 
Israelites; Moses, embittered, shakes them up. 

Act II. Korah. 

Act III. The Golden Calf. 

Act IV. Miriam. 

Act V. Moses' Death. 

Pageantry in the desert: the Ark of the Covenant, then Jo- 
seph's bones at the head of the procession. 

The aging Moses keeps recognizing Korah, the Calf, always 
the same processions of slaves. He is exhausted by all this, and 
yet he has to lure them onward with ever renewed vigor. 

It is the tragedy of the leader, of any leader of men who is not 
a misleader. 


• • • 


March >6 

I am still fighting with a wooden sword, like Tabarin or like 
children. 

I would need one of steel: i.e., a big paper with which one can 
make policy, do services and favors, establish connections. If 
only I had the X. Fr. Pr. in my hands, I would be able to work 
wonders. 

This way I toil away helplessly and make no headway. It is 
a terrible thing to be sentenced to impotence with such clear 
plans, such a distinctly marked road. I am wearing myself out 
on it. I would need one lousy million to operate a big paper, and 
for this greatest cause of Jewry it can't be raised. This is what 
has been going on for two years now. When Baden i was still 
there, the greatest effects could have been achieved with it. His 
government in fact, conditions in Austria — would have had 
a different complexion today. He wanted to have me in closest 
proximity to him, and I would never have given him the fatuous 
advice of his ministers to have the police march into the Par- 
iament. He is gone; and following Gautsch's brief adminis- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 625 
,|irrc is Thun, and probably nothing can be done 

tration, now ««-•»- 

"frurt* percipitndi [Fruits to be plucked]! Missed opportuni- 
ties of Zionism- 

• • • 

u'nlfftohn has been to London in order to work on the Bank 
project. Now he is here and gives me reports. 

^ \t first Seligmann the banker fell like laughing, but he turned 
gnous when Wolffsohn developed the idea that Edmond Roth- 
iduld should hand his colonies over to the Bank and take shares 
in return. Then the l.C.A. should get behind the Bank also. 

I believe this excellent proposal of Wolfhohn's will advance 
the matter. Mannorek (the architect) is going to Pans next week. 
I shall give him the assignment of taking this proposal to Ed- 
mond Rothschild. 

If the founding of the Bank works out, we shall be over the 
worst. I must bring the next CongTes* something. The Bank 
would be splendidly suited for iu 


March >9 

Wrote to Alex Mannorek at Paris to submit Wolffsohn s pro- 
posal to Edmond R.. through Dr. Henri de Rothschild or di- 
rectly. At the same time I am warning him against Scheid, who, 
if he gets wind of the matter, will devise some counteT-coup in 
ordeT to save his revakh [profit]. In my letter I am strongly em- 
phasizing that the political leaders of the movement want to and 
mil have absolutely nothing to do with the Bank itself. 


April 1 1 


All sorts of Frouhmiuifler. 

Bimbaum quietly incites against me. at the University acts 
the pan of the Columbus and manyr of Zionism, while I am 
the Amerigo Vespucci and the usurper. 

At the student's pany of the Ivria he said recently that he was 


626 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR/j 

grateful for moral benefactions (he was made an ‘’honorary 
brother"), but that he was not obligated in any way by material 
favors (we created a sinecure for him as '' ‘seer eta ry^generar* 
even before there was a kreuzer of shekel money on hand | 
guaranteed him a year’s salary in a letter, on the strength of 
which he rented furniture, since he was out in the street). 

The "Tamowers” arc agitating against the Central Committee 
and against political Zionism which they have to thank for Kdm. 
Rothschild’s entering into a small land-sale deal with their 
Ahavath Zion. For Dr. Salz went from Basel to Paris as "Vice. 
President of the Congress,” without telling me a word about 
it, and there made some agreement in conflict with the recog- 
nizable Basel principle. 

Undercurrents even in the Actions Committee. Individuals 
are offended because they are not "informed” of anything. 

Yesterday I brought Schnirer to reason about why I have to 
work alone, now as before. 

The Committee is an unserviceable instrument. Only indiscre- 
tions are committed. No one is able to help; for various reasons 
they are in no position to do so. 

Yesterday Schnirer presented an excellent outline for organi- 
zation to me. Shekel unit one crown. The shekels are to serve 
only for administrative expenses. Any surplus goes to the Na- 
tional Fund. 

Each 50 shekel subscribers form a group. Each ten groups a 
district. Each ten districts a center. A group, a district, a center, 
each has a head. The Congress Office deals with the heads of the 
centers. The associations can continue to exist, but must invest 
their funds in shares of the Colonial Bank. 

I find this outline excellent. 

I supplemented it as follows; The permanent Congress Office 
has its seat in Basel, with a salaried secretary. The Congress 
elects a board of directors, three men from each of the main 
countries represented. The board of directors remains in Basel 

one day after the Congress and makes all arrangements for the 
year. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.R7.L 627 

There is no Central Committee any more — rather, a model or 
ggaiog committee which the other regional committees may 

imitate — if they *° dc#ire 

This way the difficulty of ’’intemationality’’ will perhaps be 
overcome. We have no international organization, and yet a uni- 
form streak runs through the whole thing. 


April 16 


Letter to Nordau. 

1. Refen to my Easter feuilleton. 

i. To the Bank matter, Wolffsohn, etc. 

3. I wrote you that the confidential preliminary conferences 
will take place here on April tj, 14. and 15. If it is not too great 
a sacrifice, I should like immensely to have you here. But only 
for the deliberations. This is not the right moment for a public 
lecture. The Viennese local propaganda must not be carried on 
now, for political reasons. For this we shall reserve the month 
of November, perhaps even the middle of October. Then you 
will gjve the movement in all of Austria a big lift by speaking 
here. At that time the University will be in session too— right 
now the students from the provinces are away — and then a great 
Nordau party shall take place. Now it is only a matter of setting 
up the agenda for the next Congress, discussing the outlines 
which we have sketched here* (for the order of business, organ- 
ization, etc.), as well as instructions to the representatives of 
countries, preparations for the election of delegates, shekel pay- 
menu, etc. 

I don’t need to tell you how much I wish I had your advice and 
your collaboration here, just as I w ish to have you by my side at 
sll tunes, because there certainly arc bad hours of d^faillance (dc- 
prcmion]. However, come only if you can stay for the full three 
days, and if your coming this time does not preclude your at- 
•fodancc in the autumn. In the preliminary conferences there 


'I a« am nrr whether ihne dry dUctmtom-wbkh. lo he sure. are ir>dOpet> 
■}* Ihe aaovrmmi - will make the tourney here eeem worth the e«ort to you. 

(Htnfi note) 



628 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

will inevitably be all sorts of idle talk, because reports have been 
coming from various countries which we have to listen to. The 
work so far of the members of the Inaction Committee, particu- 
larly of the corresponding members, has totaled zero. What l 
haven't done here, simply has been left undone. Therefore, arm 
yourself with patience if you come, and don’t reproach me for 
having rushed you here if the preliminary conferences should 
bring about nothing of consequence. 1 hope that we shall not 
have to do without your wishes and suggestions in any case. If 
you are not coming, please write me immediately everything that 
seems important to you. 

4- After your response to my suggestion that you take over the 
work between the second and the third Congresses, I naturally 
can do nothing else but carry on the matter in the same way at 
heretofore. After all, events have proved you right, for the time 
being, and after everything that Marmorek has told me, I realize 
that it would have been a misguided idea to transfer the head- 
quarters to Paris. After my departure from there, things simply 
seem to have undergone quite a surprising reformatio in pejus 
[change for the worse]. Unfortunately, at the moment I don't 
know of anybody in England either to whom I could turn over 
the leadership of the headquarters. Quand on y a mis le doig/, 
il faut y passer tout entier. J'y passe [Once you’ve put your foot 
in the door, you’ve got to go all the way in. Here I go]. I know 
myself at least: I won't let go until some day 1 turn up my toes 


April 17 

In Vienna the Welt has — 280 subscribers. Because of this — 
since party propaganda has so left me in the lurch — I have de- 
cided henceforth to promote the Welt like an ordinary paper, 
through posters, etc. 

The considerable deficit to date I shall naturally absorb myself 
The current circulation — *400 subscribers in all countries — i* 
insufficient to maintain the paper. 


T HE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL G 29 

April 22 

Utter to Nordau: 

Dearest Friend: 

I have just received an emergency letter from the Berlin Group 
10 the effect that they need you without fail for a speech. 

I wanted to save this trump for Germany until the autumn, be- 
cause of the community campaign. But if you arc ready to go 
Mht now. don't let the views I expressed yesterday stop you. 

If you go to Berlin, I beg you to include in your speech a 
usage referring to the Jewish Colonial Bank. We are not yet 
braking with the Haute Banque [big bankers], we are merely 
giving them an avertissrment [notification]. I shall soon publish 
in America a letter in this vein to our partisans. You, like myself, 
must consider the following: the possibility of an understanding 
with the big bankers exists even today. A negotiator who has 
been to London (Wolffsohn of Cologne) is coming to Paris 
dionly. You will hear details from Marmorek. Only if Wolffsohn 
fails will peaceful negotiation be at an end. Therefore we must 
not let loose as yet. Then, too, the Turkish government must 
not know that the situation of the projected Bank is so doubtful. 

But this is the averltssemenl [announcement]: we are even now 
urging our partisans to subscribe, so that the bank will, if need 
be, stand on its own feet, that is to say, come into being through 
popular support. Since we are opposed to infiltration, which has 
no future and is at the mercy of every pasha, subject to every im- 
migration prohibition, the colonization associations are to in- 
rest their property in shares of the Colonial Bank; every local 
group shall accept provisional subscriptions and bring results of 
•bese provisional subscriptions (of one-pound shares) along to 
Basel. Thus there will already be a noyau [nucleus] at Basel — 
according to the reports I get (Tom all over the world, this noyau 
•ill be substantial enough — and standing on this foundation we 
dull force the big bankers to go along, or we shall go on alone 
at the same time fight against the dogs. 

How you are to express this in your Berlin speech 1 do not 


630 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7L 

dare to prescribe. It is necessary! Don't let the financial part of a 
disgust you. We leaders declare and have declared that we never 
want to nor will have anything to do with the financial manage- 
ment. The movement needs a financial facility; we shall create 
one for it by stirring up oppressed masses to help themselves 
Qui veut la fin, veut les moyens [He who wants the end wants 
the means]. 

With cordial regards, 

Your devoted 


Th. H. 


April >9 

On the 23rd, the 24th, and the 25th the preliminary confer- 
ences for the Second Congress took place. The feeling among 
most of the people originally appears to have been against the 
holding of the Second Congress. I convinced them that this was 
necessary, because otherwise the movement would bog down and 
because we must give it a new Constitution. The existing one 
looks like an international organization, which it really is not. 
We have only the disadvantages of this apparent "international- 
ity, and our every step is impeded by the possibility that the 
movement will acquire an illegal appearance. Any anti /.ionist 
scoundrel can denounce us. 

My idea, which I only outlined in the preliminary conference, 
is to set up a Central Office in Basel. 

There is no liaison whatever between the committees. One 
committee at first the Viennese one, of course — acts as the 
model. What it does is imitated by the others voluntarily and 
without orders, to the extent that the country’s laws, local needs 
and possibilities permit it. 

The heart of the negotiations was the Bank question about 
which I put through my proposals: beginning the provisional 
subscription of one-pound shares with a down-payment of 10%. 

Pineles made a good proposal for its implementation. The 
own-payment is to be deposited in the Postal Savings Banks in 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 631 

tl* name of the subscriber, and the bank book is to be turned 
over to the collector for his counter-signature. 

g yiinka made confused speeches about the "Hebrew Educa- 
ripnal Association/' and finally declared (in private) that he 
Hould gather an opposition against roe. 

In general, the mood was the exalted one of Basel. They en- 
thusiastically recognized me as head of the movement. It was all 
the more depressing, then, when between sessions I went to the 
oAce of the N. Fr. Pr., where 1 am the hireling of diametrically 
opposed views. Thu weigh* heavily on me and paralyzes my 
mength; but the "movement" is not in a position to relieve its 
leader of this miserable burden. 

The creation of a big daily paper is the problem which is in- 
nlable for the present The necessary money cannot be raised. 
With two million guilders we could get control of the N. Fr. Pr. 
sod thus have the suitable instrument. What a crying shame that 
this amount, ridiculous! v small in proportion to the cause, can- 
not be raised. We are still like the soldiers of the Y rench Revo- 
lution, must take the field without shoes or stockings. 

• • • 

I am nuking great efforts to promote the Welt. The deficit is 
increasing, and I must soon be able to balance the paper, other* 

wiie it will eat up my resources 

• • • 

An interesting lettrT from Alex Marmorek. Zadoc is working 
ndemJi for us. Ldmaad Rothschild is said to be a convinced 
Zionist, but does not dare to come out into the open. An Indian 
pruxe. Aga Khan, who was recommended to Zadoc by Haffkine 
of Bombas, ts said to be a Zionist and willing to speak to the 
Saltan on our behalf 


May 5 

It is pan of the ngnstur* umporu [character of ‘be tunes] 
now I again go to the office each day "ready to 11 


632 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZI 

The Welt is making a drive with No. 19 . Ten thousand copies are 
being sent out; on the street-comers there are posters annouiu 
ing Wrede's novel The Goldschilds. The question is how Bacho 
and Benedikt will take this. I imagine that they are once mo” 
being incited against me by the financiers, and I am poised far 
the conflict, although a bit excited, too. After all. the break with 
the AT. Fr. Pr. is only a question of time now, unless I manage to 
have it purchased by my partisans. 

1 he Welt is eating up more and more money and must soon 
catch on, or it will fold. I can keep it above water for about an- 
other year without ruining myself. 

The Welt is getting no support from the party; in fact, the 
idea has popped up that the Actions Committee should subsi- 
dize a Yiddish paper, and this would probably provide some com- 
petition for the Welt. 


May 5 

Bacher and Benedikt haven't stirred so far. On dirait mime 
quits sont atmables [You’d even say they were amiable). But 
something is unmistakably in the air. 


Alex Marmorek reports an interesting conversation he has had 
wit Edmond Rothschild. Aside from the silly carping reasons 
and egotistic considerations which he adduces, it is noteworthy 

1 . 1 t ..^ rn ‘ a< ^ v ‘ scs a Rank founded with a share capital of— one 
million francs. Such a bank, of course, would be no menace to 
the House of Rothschild. 

fight^ leUT UveTOm Un bel <usaut t Wc lhal1 * ivc ,hcm a 8°®* 


• • • 

, * n Actions Committee. The gentlemen are com* 
mg t at I am giving them too little information. But if I 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 633 

jtfue a call to work, it falls flat. Schnirer has no time. Mintz is 
nerved because I work with the Marmoreks, who are his personal 
joemies. When I asked Mintz to take charge of the press prepa- 
rations for the Second Congress, he asked for time to think it 
over, because he did not even know whether he would attend the 
Second Congress. 


May iz 


Work on the Bank has begun. 

What I am doing there is another feat, an innovation in finan- 
cial techniques. The provisional subscription for a bank the de- 
tails of which are not even known is really nothing but the estab- 
lishment of a people’s share-issuing syndicate. Fleciere si nequeo 
superos Acheronta movebo [If I cannot bend the powers above, 
I will move the lower world). 

Since the big financiers are hesitant, we are appealing to the 
small pocketbooks right from the outset. If it succeeds, the enter- 
prise will have the advantage that we shall not be in the hands 
of a few big bankers. The Bank will then belong to the Congress. 

This Bank campaign has something war-like in its successive 
stages: The w*ay in which vague intention, more deliberate 
planning, first proclamations, mobilization, setting up outposts, 
skirmishes, and battle merge into one another, one moment with 
awful sluggishness, the next moment with ridiculous precipita- 
tion; the way you are pushed more often than you push; the way 
you don’t really believe in yourself and then suddenly are in the 
thick of it. 

I always have to remember a word dropped by my dear friend 
L Kellner, which I greatly resented at the time and which he 
has since regretted. A year-and-a-half ago, when 1 wanted to get 
him elected to the Reichsrat in Galicia, he declined distrustfully, 
•aying that the whole movement was just "noise ' ! * 

Yes. everything is noise. I said to him in irritation. In truth, 
noise is a great deal. A sustained noise is in itself a note wort > 
htt. All of world history is nothing but noise. Noise of arms. 


• In FnglftUi in the original 



634 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR | IERzl 

noise of ideas on the march. People must make noue , 
them — and still despise it. u 10 

# • 

Yesterday I had a meeting with the Messieurs Brecher whom 
we mtend to use a, bankers for the Austrian subwipsioo do 

A little banking house, sel/made men • who still show tho, 
humble beginnings. A shabby office, which remind, me of dj 
early days in the Catt Louvre, in the little back toon, which I 
d photographed as a permanent souvenir. Of the diplomatic 

'Zi t " c' 1 : h,< h ' d<a " Wi,h ,h ' n and “> «■" dcaluw 
with now. Yet these folks give the impression of prudence. J 2 

Th lh * mca « er Winnings of our linancial solidity 

The older Brecher ha, a son in the firm who has been to J 

• do 00 D« n ,orr “"' "" yOU " R " BWhCT » 

™V° UBg T madc ■“ nuh " go«l impression on me. and 
while he wa, ,alk,ng_,o be sure, with a teruin hnamial lepl 

_t I i- 11 < ^ CUrTC ^ to mc *hat he could make quite a service- 
able d, rector of the Jewish Colonial Bank 

only thing is, he made the mistake — possibly fatal for his 
reer—-o saying that he did not quite share our views yet. 

imr> | U< tlS aiC hanking bourgeoisie. If they have 

through us Cn ° U ^ 10 j°‘ n * n w '*h us. they can become great 


• • • 

rultv n aVUi0n f! * u ^* cr 'P t '° n will have peculiar case and difi* 
at our ** t ^ at KC 4 ^ a ^ ^ avc rca ^y made publicity 

loud that il** c ^‘ fflcu hy, that we shall not be able to say out 
“ IC f heI P a 8 a »W ihc big bankers, because we have 

* In F.ngli»h in original. 

## I ranilatoy'i Noi r y. nLlll . 

•C.I 100 U grant doctor am u * ft, r * n<1 formality in the umr phrur. Amirtia li» 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES of THEODOR HERZL 635 

to keep in mind that the Turkish government might hear about 
it and lose its respect. 




I didn't need Alex Marmorck's last letter to know that Edmond 
Rothschild would turn his colonics over to the Bank once it is in 
existence— to this Bank whose coming into being he would now 
like to present. Undoubtedly the I.C.A. will capitulate too. once 

the Bank is there. 

Most people don't see the connected events of the future. They 
only see current connections, not future connections. That is 
why the difficulties of my movement arc so great and why it will 
look simple when 1 bring it to fruition. For then the separate 
nrands will be woven together, and the piece of cloth will make 
do particular impression. That is why I shall reap so much in* 
giautude, too. What now exists as unused pans, and does not 
exist as a whole, and would never exist without me, will then 
be a cunent connection" and in the future make no real im- 
pression on anyone. 


• • • 


Kokrvh, a member of the Actions Committee, said a few 
months ago: No one is going to lend us as much as ten thou- 

and guilders!" 

And now I want to raise a share capital of 60 million francs 
tor a Bank whose prospectus I am not even offering. 

Naturally, Kokcsch is opposed to founding the Bank, just as 
year he was against convening the Congress. But in the end 
does acquiesce, because he is a good boy and has faith in me. 

• • • 

P rov ' 1 * on al subscription yields only 800,000 pounds 
^ ,n ^' ^ ^ satisfied too. This will then give us a basis for 

tyttdicate of guarantors which, to be sure, I could not get 


636 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZl 

along without under those conditions. The provisional people 
will then constitute a unit in the share issuing syndicate, and a 
few bigger bankers will have to be won in addition. If wont 
comes to worst, the Bank will be created with less basic capital 


May n 

Hechler is going to Berlin to attend the Church Conference. I 
again urged him strongly to induce the Kaiser to receive me. 

If he manages that, I promised him that he would be sent to 
Palestine at our expense in the autumn when the Kaiser takes a 
trip there. 

Hechler sensed how much importance I attach to being re 
ceived by the Kaiser and demanded that I come to the English 
church tomorrow, Sunday, and pray with him. AT plus m mom 
[Neither more nor less]. 

At this I began to speak about the grass growing in my garden, 
where we were sitting, without going into his presumption fur- 
ther. 

Then, when he had left, I wrote him that he would go to Pales- 
tine if he arranged that audience for me. 


May M 

Yesterday, “Bank meeting” of the Actions Committee. 

One man. Dr. Kahn, had collected 350 shares. All others, noth 
ing! Kokesch had a number of representatives conscripted from 
the shekel bloc list who are to act as collectors. That was all. 

I indicated my dissatisfaction to the gentlemen in a few words 
That’s how it was before the 1st Congress, too. 

• • • 

Wolffsohn has good intentions, but he is not energetic enough- 
He requests that there be no more notices in the Welt about Hu 
travels. He doesn't want to become ridiculous. All those pcopfr 
still don t understand that I am making them great. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 637 


May *5 

Typical of the “big” Jews. 

Wolffsohn telegraphs that Seligmann (Frankfurt) has declined 
to act as a depository for the share down payments. 

Thereupon Wolffsohn turned to the A. Schaafhausen Banking 
Association of Cologne (Gentile), which immediately declared 
itself favorably inclined. 


May 15 

Spoke with my dear L. Kellner. I told him that if he survived 
me, he should take care of the publication of this diary of mine. 

The diary is to appear in the Welt in instalments. 

Kellner shall also become editor-in-chief of the Welt when I 
am no more. He knows the most about my intentions. 

He is to receive appropriate compensation for his efforts, ac- 
cording to the circumstances of the paper The paper itself is, of 
course, the property of my children, because during the period 
in which I have been working in behalf of the Jews, I have neg- 
lerted to eam for them. 

If mv Hans stays alive, he shall become proprietor of the paper 
when he comes of age and pay his sisters an appropriate allow- 
ance from it — provided it yields a profit. 


Whit-Monday 

Yesterday it was three years since I started the Zionist move 
mem with my visit to flinch. 

Today it is a worldwide idea. 


• • • 

Today I wrote to the amiable Hamburger Cohen, who can't 
do anything in Hamburg (for the Bank), parce qu'on ne prtle 
fu'aux riches [because loans are made only to rich people]! 

“The meaning of our Bank project is simply that with one leap 
want to get out of the circulus vitiosus [vicious circle] that 


638 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

consists in the refusal of the bankers to go along unless the bank- 
ers go along. 

“They are making our life a burden; that is why our moument 
must finally break through or croak. To ine the matter is too 
serious for a game, for the serious-minded it has hitherto been 
too much of a game." 


• • • 

Hechler is in Berlin, will try to get to the Kaiser so that he 
may receive me. 

I need this audience, then the circulus vitiosus will be broken. 

• • • 

I don't believe, though, that Hechler can fix it. His daily let- 
ters from Berlin sound more and more discouraged and close 
with: Ora pro nobis [Pray for us]! 


May 31 

Hechler has left Berlin bredouille [empty-handed]. The Kaiset 
sent him word that he was too busy. 

Hechler thereupon went to Karlsruhe. Superfluously. 


June * 

Jclski reports from I.odz that a merchant there had asked 
Samuel Montagu in London whether he was participating in the 
Bank. 

If one day we take revenge on these big bankers, it will be well 
deserved. 


June 3 

Caster is here. I told him the above facts and plan to discua 
with him the beginning of the campaign against the English big 
bankers. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 639 

The rich and the “Great in Israel" are actually incurring a 
fearsome responsibility by leaving me in the lurch. I am a very 
irrviceable instrument for the return of the Jews — and they let 
me wear myself out in fruitless exertions. Perhaps 1 shall pass 
without having secured the project, and then it will be lost. 


June 5 

Hechler is here again and reports that the Grand Duke of 
Baden reacred favorably when he spoke about me and the Welt. 
The Grand Duke advised Hechler to win over Eulenburg. the 
ambassador here, for the cause. The Kaiser, he said, listens to 
Eulenburg. Hechler should tell Eulenburg in the name of the 
Grand Duke that in the latter's opinion something was involved 
that might prove to be important for German policy in the Ori- 
ent. 


• • • 


I am writing to the Grand Duke: 

Your Royal Highness: 

Reverend Hechler tells me that Your Royal Highness is still 
interested in the Zionist mosrment and suggested that he call on 
the Vienna ambassador. Count Eulenburg, for the purpose of ar- 
rangingmy audience with His Majesty the German Kaiser. 

Only this definite information from my reverend friend Hech- 
ter could have encouraged me to write Your Royal Highness once 
moTe - Is it not remarkable the way events have developed in the 
East since about two yean ago I enjoyed the distinction of being 
allowed to make a presentation of the Zionist movement at Karls- 
ru he?’ German policy has taken an Eastern course, and there is 
w,Df tbing symbolic about the Kaiser's Palestine journey in more 
tan one sense. I am, therefore, more firmly convinced than ever 
it our movement will receive help whence I have patiently 
petting it for the past two years. By now it is clear that the 
•^dement of the shortest route to Asia by a neutral national ele- 


640 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
ment could also have a certain value for Germany’s Oriental pol- 
icy- 

And what element is this? I he same that is, par la force <Ut 
choses [of necessity], almost everywhere driven into the arms of 
the revolutionary parties. 

In this respect, too, the events of the last few yean have con- 
firmed many of my pronouncements. 

• • • 


This letter I did not complete or send off, because Hechter, to 
whom I read the draft, advised me against it. Is it possible that 
the Grand Duke did not express himself in the terms HechleT 
conveyed to me? Could be. 


June to 

Seventh birthday of my Hans. 

I gave him a Zion Hag. Shield of David with six stars in the su 
triangles. The seventh on top. 

In the middle field, the Lion of Judah after a drawing of the 
painter Okin. 


June 14 

One of the most curious figures I have yet encountered is the 
Rymanow Rabbi Horowitz, the son-in law of the Wonder Rabbi 
there. 

He came to see me accompanied by his ’’secretary,' who, how- 
ever, seems to be a servant and is treated in a disdainful manner. 
Both wore kaftans. The servant had to remain in the hall. 

Horowitz spoke d coeur dtfeouveri [frankly], was very skeptical 
about the fanatics, and explained to me the "business’’ (as he p° l 
it) of the Wonder Rabbis and their elegant way of life. He 
boasted: my father-in-law needs 500 guilders a week, 

16 servants. 

Vet there was a certain naivetl about it. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 641 

He promised to interest all Wonder Rabbis in Zionism. 1 think 
ii Kill be possible to direct these people if they arc treated appro- 

priately- 

If he arranges a meeting of all the Wonder Rabbis, I will go 
ihere for a confidential conference with all these gentlemen. 

• • • 

I, ^ especially interesting the way the fledgling Wonder 
Rjbbt Horowitz explained the power of all these Rebbet. The 
fanatics, of whom he spoke with thinly veiled irony, constitute 
ibe core of the "disciples.” The second group are the sensible 
people who come to the Wonder Rabbi because he is at the cen- 
ter of connections and associations. Someone asks him whether 
be should buy wheat. Someone else has been there before and 
has mentioned the state of his wheat business. The Wonder 
Rabbi, being at the focal point, is well informed. Therefore, his 
advice is really worth its weight in gold. He gives tips, and good 
ones, because, after all, his reputation depends on them. He 
makes matches and settles disputes: by all this his power is pre- 
served and increased. Simply marchandi d’tnfluence (influence 
peddlers], then. It is a natural explanation. The third group, 
finally, are those who fear harm from the enmity of the Rebbe. 
If someone has not crossed this limirut apostolomm [apostolic 
threshold] in two or three years and the Wonder Rabbi is asked 
about him. he says: He must be badly off; he hasn’t been to see 
me in a long time, apparently hasn't the traveling expenses! 

In short, he can do his "disciples," who are his tributaries. 
f 1 * 1 ® or good. It is an institution developed with singular 

Arewdncii in which everything happens in the most natural 

way. 

And the amiable little Rebbe of Rymanow told me all this in 
jhf friendliest blind trust, although he had never laid eyes on me 
e. He added that he would make such confessions to no one 
• Evidently he takes me for a greater Wonder Rabbi even 
die one of Sadagora. his uncle, and thinks that 1 am carry- 
'ogon a business this way, too. There was an augur’s smile in his 


642 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFRZl 

words as he sat before me in his elegant silk kaftan, with the 
nicely anointed ear-locks and his golden pince-nez. 

I didn't disabuse him of his misconception. 


June 15 

Draft of a letter to Kaiser Wilhelm (in the event that Count 
Eulenburg receives the Grand Duke's message through Hechler. 
acts on it, and invites me to request the audience): 

Your Imperial Majesty: 

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden recently ex 
pressed the opinion to one of my friends, as I am informed, that 
the Zionist movement (whose leader I am) could acquire some 
importance to German policy in the Orient. 

The aim of Zionism — according to the program of last year’s 
Basel Congress — is to create a home, safeguarded under public 
law, for the Jewish people in Palestine. 

If I were granted an opportunity to give Your Imperial Maj- 
esty an oral presentation of the political and social overtones 10 
Zionism — as I did before His Royal Highness the Grand Duke 
two years ago — I believe I could get the brilliant German Kaiser 
enthusiastic about this glorious project on behalf of the lowliest 

I^t me emphasize only one point out of the wealth of reasons 
in favor of the Zionist idea: the only cultural element with which 
Palestine can be settled is the Jews. The land it too poor to at- 
tract others. For us it is rich in memories and hopes. And Pales 

tine must be settled, for it is the route to Opbir as well as to 
Kiaochow. 

And if, per impossibile [as seems impossible] attractive condi- 
tions were created for other cultural elements, too, the most 
bitter jealousy among the nations would arise. Europe, it seems 
to me, would more readily permit settlement to the Jews. Per 
raps not so much because of the historic right guaranteed in the 
most sacred book of mankind, but because of the inclination, 
present in most places, to let the Jews go. 




THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 643 

Your Imperial Majesty is going to Palestine. It will be a pro- 
coooo of high and symbolic splendor. This journey will astound 
the peoples of the East and disquiet those of the West. But if we 
take everything into consideration, the new Imperial journey 
to Zion may leave lasting traces in history only if it also tics in 
with the modem Zionist movement. 

Fora long time I have had the conviction that help will come 
to us from Your Majesty. Your Majesty can command me at any 
hour. May it happen soon! 

It would be good fur the cause if I learned of this favor in ad- 
vance of Your Majesty's Palestine journey and the Second Basel 
Coogress. But with projects of this kind one must possess one's soul 
in more patience than men ordinarily do. 

With deepest respects, etc. 


June 17 

NordauMarmorck report from Paris that at the last meeting 
of the I.C.A. Zadoc Kahn almost suffered violence, because he 
read and supported our invitation to a conference of the coloni- 
tauon associations prior to the tnd Congress. 

Thereupon the I.C.A. declined in an official, matter-of-fact let- 
ter to tend a representative to this conference. The world press is 
beginning to editorialize about Wilhelm’s Palestinian journey. 
Unfortunately I am still too powerless in the press to use this 
otQuon to promote Zionism. 


^**<Tday there was talk that the Emperor is going to abdicat 

jubilee festivities and that his successor will suspend th 
Uotuutuuon. 

J*“ ^“1 ‘ Jut *** J 0 ** wil > ** left out in the revised Consti 

tan hr '« ! U<h 4,1 nationalities of Austri 

00 he pacified. All this 1 predicted long ago. 



644 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

June 17 

I am writing Nordau and Caster (in Transylvania) to try to 
have French and English papers sound an alarm because of Wil- 
helm I I s journey to Zion. Everyone has got to begrudge it to 
everyone else, and this is how we will get it. 


July » 

I am thinking of giving the movement a closer territorial goal, 
preserving Zion as the final goal. 

The poor masses need immediate help, and Turkey is not yet 
so desperate as to accede to our wishes. 

In fact, there will probably be hostile demonstrations against 
us in Turkey in the immediate future. They will say that they 
have no intentions of giving us Palestine. 

Thus we must organize ourselves for a goal attainable soon, 
under the Zion flag and maintaining all of our historic claims. 

Perhaps we can demand Cyprus from England, and even keep 
an eye on South Africa or America — until Turkey is dissolved. 

C’est encore a creuser fnnfnndemrnt [This is still to be thor- 
oughly explored]. Discuss with Nordau before the Congress. 


July 6 

from my letter to Schauer, who called my attention to an anti- 
Zionist remark of the Turkish ambassador in Washington: 

I have long been acquainted with the mistrust of the Turks. 
I anticipated it. That is the reason for my opposition to infiltra- 
tion. It is, at any rate, no short-sightedness in my policy. I can 
demand a Jewish State in Palestine only while fighting coloniza- 
tion on a small scale. But the latter is apparently brainless — for 
the critical moment at which Turkey "noticed** the will-to-a-state 
on the part of the infiltrees would find the colonists unprotected 
immigrants, while under my policy negotiations can be carried on 
before the boundaries are crossed, thus in a manner far more 
favorable to us." 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 645 

July 10 

Various opposition to the Congress House in Basel which I 
want to have Marmorek design. 

I hope to overcome this opposition. The Jewish House in 
Bawl will be a landmark of Switzerland, but above all a symbol 
for Jewry. With nations one must speak in a childish language: 
a house, a flag, a song arc the symbols of communication. 

Even Marmorek. to whom I suggested this plan for the build- 
ing, doesn't quite understand and showed me a sketch of no sig- 
nificance. 

After all. in the case of the Jewish House in Basel, neo-Jcwish 
style can be employed for the first time. 

I gave Marmorek the following suggestion for the facade of 
the Jewish House: 



The hall is the house. It opens onto the loggia, but is lighted 
from above like a parliamentary auditorium. 

The an form which is most meaningful to me now is architec- 
ture. Unfortunately I don't command its meant of expression. If 
I had learned anything, I would be an architect now. 


July it 

I gave an interv iew to the Vienna correspondent of the Pall 
Mali Gazette about the Palestine journey of the (ierman Kaiser. 
I (ought to stir up the attention and jealousy of the other Pow- 
01, and taid it was our entire hope that we would be regarded 
*the pit alter [last retort). No power could let any other have 
Palestine 

At the same time, I intend to irritate the Kaiser a bit by this. 




646 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZL 

July Ji 

Yesterday a small engagement with Bacher. 

I am now writing editorials for the N. Fr. Ft. that are success, 
ful. Bather showers me with compliments, as Benedikt, who is 
on vacation now, previously did. 

Yesterday Bather said: "I like your editorials even better than 
your feuilletons. Isn’t there material for one today?" 

I: "There would be one: the German Kaiser’s trip to Palestine. 
But one would have to discuss Zionism in it." 

He: " One wouldn't have to! You would.” 

Thereupon I opened a discussion of Zionism. He denied the 
growth of the movement, which, he claimed, was being men- 
tioned as a curiosity at most. He regretted that I was so obstinate, 
because he liked me and I was an intelligent man otherwise. 

I: “Well, then the assumption must be in my favor that I am 
not doing anything stupid there either." 

He: "It is this very assumption that makes me annoyed at you. 
You can’t tell me that it is a serious movement.” 

I: "The German Kaiser asked through Lucanus for tny pam- 
phlet about the Basel Congress.” 

That astounded him. 

I: "In its beginnings Socialism wasn't a serious movement 
either. Can you deny that it is one now?” 

He: "Socialism has changed radically. Marx and I avsalle still 
thought in terms of a bloody revolution. Today Socialism ap 
proaches the gradual transformation of society with bourgeois 
methods." 

I: Do you think that I expect a realization of my ideas ac- 

cording to program? I am under no illusions about the plus- 
pelilio [exorbitance] that is inherent in my demands." 

After this I went into a discussion of the question as an inter- 
national one, saying that Fiance and Russia would not permit 
the foothold in Palestine which the German Kaiser apparently 
intends, and that we Zionists probably constituted the pis a ^ r 
for Europe. 

He listened to me, shook his head. But this time the fight was 

a draw. 


THF. COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 647 

August 3 

Wolffsohn telegraphs that the bankers Seligmann and Marx, 
who were supposed to come to Cologne for the so-called Bank 
Conference, have withdrawn their acceptance. 

This dirty trick again calls everything into question. I am 
telegraphing Wolffsohn: Stiff upper lip! 

1 shall simply launch the Bank at the CongTcss, which will 
save us being dependent on the banking bastards. 


Letter to Benedikt (at Schevcningen): 


August 5 


Dear Friend: 

First the news you asked me for when we parted: my good child 
has pretty well recovered. I am starting my vacation today. 

Only now am I calm enough to get back to something that we 
once discussed at the Hotel Imperial: the question of whether 
the N. Fr. Ft. will this year report on the Zionist Congress in 
Basel. You were going to discuss this with Dr. Bacher, but in the 
rush of your departure you probably forgot about it. 

Without knowing your views Dr. Bacher probably won’t make 
adccuion on the matter, i.e., he will not make arrangements to 
get coverage. However, all other papers, including the Viennese 
ooes, are likely to carry reports this time. 

Added to this is the fact that in the near future there will be 
two conditions which will make mention of the Zionist movement 
inevitable: t. the founding of the Zionist Bank with two million 
pounds sterling, which I have already told you about; t. the Ger- 
man Kaiser's journey to Palestine. He is going to visit the Jew- 
idi colonies there; it is not impossible that on this occasion he 
w dl say something about Zionism. 

In my estimation, a calm, impartial mention °f this movement. 

^° u underestimated, is advisable at this very time, on 
occasion of the Second Congress. Something like what is con- 
* n *8th volume of Meyers Konversatiomlexikon (half 

•w. 



648 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFRZI 

By this the N. Fr. Pr. will in no way commit itself as in favor 
of my ideas. I certainly don't presume upon you that the N Ft 
P r. should declare itself as a Jewish paper, although undoubtedly 
both you and Dr. Bacher feel as Jews. If previously you were ap- 
prehensive that the propagation of Zionism would deprive you 
of the right to join in the discussion of the language controversy 
and other internal Austrian disputes, such an apprehension is no 
longer justified today. 

I he Berliner Tageblatt used to take a similar point of view, 
and subsequently carried objective editorials of column length. 
The N. Fr. Pr., however, will always be able to state that it did 
nothing toward the dissemination of this idea, even kept silent 
about it. Zionism has spread its own propaganda and now pre- 
sents itself to the paper from the outside, like other events. 

I personally have not minded being able to perform my lit- 
erary work quite apart from my political activity. This way, at 
least, not even the most malevolent were able to say of me that 
I was a professional politician • — a breed that is greatly repug- 
nant to me. And I hope that in the future, too, I shall be able to 
stay with my feuilletons quietly, although I have, so to speak, put 
a major idea on its feet. 

After all, I have also declined seats in the Reichsrat, and I'd 
rather write plays, even though I want to help the poor Jews. 

What serious objections can be raised against our wanting to 
set up a refuge for the oppressed Jewish masses? 

Believe me, everywhere the Zionists program has penetrated it 
has given discussion of the Jewish Question a tone more favorable 
to us. 


August 8 

This letter, too, went unmailed, because today in the compos- 
ing room I saw an editorial from the pen of Privy Councilor 
Richter about the Kaiser's journey to Palestine. 

Bacher got Richter to write the article I recommended — with 
the omission of Zionism. 

• In Engllih In the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 649 

August 9 

Wolffsohn reports that only 100,000 pounds have been sub- 
scribed for the Bank. 

Everything depends upon whether the weeks until the Con- 
gress bring a substantial increase. 

If they don’t, this time the atmosphere at the Congress would 
have to be utilized for the Bank. A tremendously difficult task. 
The rich boys want to let us freeze. La revanche sera terrible 
[The revenge will be terrible]. 

I may even announce the boycott at this Congress. 


August 1 1 

Today Friedrich Schiff of Paris came to see me in Wahring. I 
reminded him of his remark about my idea when I gave him 
the manuscript of The Jewish State to read, three years ago in the 
Hotel Castille, rue Gambon. He was ashamed and embarrassed, 
and said: “I have already been converted. You are right, you are 
really right." 

The baiting of Dreyfus convened him. 

And just like this man, who once thought me insane, all the 
others who called me crazy will come round. But what if I had 
allowed such people to hold me back? The world would be 
poorer by an idea, Jewry by this gTeat movement. 

How gTeat, come to think of it, was the responsibility of those 
who wanted to deter me, and how slight the punishment that is 
befalling them for it. 

He is embarrassed for a moment and says: You arc right! 


August *7 

Yesterday, farewell to Bacher, since 1 am going on vacation. He 
*** 'cry cordial, couldn't repeat to me often enough how hard it 
would be to do without me. He himself broached the subject of 
•be Congress. I told him that if he changed his mind and wanted 


650 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

to have the Congress covered, he only needed to send me a tele- 
gram and I would make arrangements for him to get a good, ob- 
jective report. 

He groaned: “It can’t be donel If you weren’t with us, w e 
would certainly have written about Zionism by now, like the 
Kolnischc Zeitung and others. It is impossible because of you 
personally, the dual position you occupy." 

I didn’t press any further. We took a quite cordial leave of 
each other. But because I have the impression that he has sof- 
tened after all, I will write the letter to Benedikt, mutatis mutan- 
dis [the necessary changes having been made] — since the article 
about the Kaiser is eliminated. 

• • • 

Conclusion of the letter to Benedikt at Scheveningen, H&tel 
Orange: 

So, un bon mouvement [a good movement]! 

If I’m not mistaken. Dr. Bacher, who is certainly favorably 
disposed toward me personally, is at heart no longer so sharply 
opposed to reporting about the Congress. 

You will be well informed, too, je vous en rSponds [I guaran- 
tee you this]; you only have to notify me in time. And all this 
can be done as discreetly as you require it. After all, this is what 
we learned to read and write for. 

One thing is certain: the Congress will this time be even much 
more magnificent than the first one. 

With cordial regards. 

Yours very sincerely, 
Th. Herd. 

Conclusion : I believe you ought to write or telegraph Dr. 
Bacher to order coverage of Basel from me. Then the N- Er. 
Pr. will have registered the movement, as it were, and can hence- 
forth calmly wait and see whether something great, historic comes 
of it (as I believe it will), or whether it dries up in the sand. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 651 


August 25 


In Basel again. 

less and less time for impressionistic pictures. Everything has 

turned into action. 

Yesterday I came here from Lucerne with Wolffsohn. On the 
tnin he converted me to the idea of establishing the Bank with 
less than two million pounds, possibly with five million marks. 
Thu small Bank can then set up the necessary subsidiaries. 

In Basel I was met at the station by many people. This atten- 
tion was very embarrassing to me. 


August 19 


The first day of the Congress is over. 

Beforehand, all sons of excitement and weariness, Bank Con- 
ference a non conferendo [that doesn’t confer], agitation by 
igitis [the agitated], etc. Moreover, receptions, devotions, admi- 
rations. It all vanishes from beneath me in a peculiar way, as 
though I were going up in a balloon — nor does it give me any 
son of pleasure. When 1 was twenty years old — or later? — we 
were on summer vacation at some place where there was a green 
meadow, and in the evenings I used to walk across it, absorbed 
in youthful dreams. I no longer know the location of this meadow 
which I still see before me; for ever since I have remembered 
thu peaceful evening as something lost, 1 have forgotten where it 
was. Somewhere past Vdslau, I think, maybe Pottenstein; but it 
could have been Reichenhall. In that case it would have been 
five yean later, when 1 was working at the courthouse in Sab- 
burg. A gTcen meadow at eventide, a tall tree by my path, a little 
b*ue— 1 no longer know whether a farm house or a parsonage — 
* infinite, fragrant peace over it. There 1 was longing for the 
•odd and happy in my lack of success. This charming meadow 
occurs to me now when the world is becoming more map-like for 


• • • 

Question is whether the intoxication of the Congress will again 
P**» like that, without leaving any traces. One hope is the Bank. 



652 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR H ERZ L 

When I left for my hotel last night at eleven o'clock— * c h*j 
three sessions, and no time for supper— the anarchist Marcou 
Baruch, who has been tamed by Zionism, went with me. He iai<j 
‘ Je regrette que vous mettiei en avant du peuple d’lsrael U 
banque. Je ne le voudrau pas— pour I’histone [I am som that 
you should put the bank ahead of the people of Israel. I wouldn't 
want it — for the sake of history]!'* 

Otherwise a muddle-head, this fellow did utter the first mat. 
nificent words of the CongTcss. 


• • • 


The debates yesterday afternoon were depressing. 

In the morning I had read off my programmatic speech, and 
Nordau had given his annual address. He again spoke splendidly, 
but a bn long-windedly, and actually did not have much that 
was new to say. He is a terrific speaker. 

In the afternoon, the treasurer's report. 

Then the nonsense started immediately. Gaster presided with 
a heavy hand. Oskar Marmorek, to my complete despair, praised 
the Actions Committee because it had achieved so much — with 
such small means. And in the gallery sat Newlinski. whom I had 
sent for with his wife and children, so that he might report to 
the Sultan how strong our movement was. After that Bernstein- 
Kohan took the floor and praised us because we had accomplished 
all this without money, without resources. I sent word to him that 
he should shut up that instant, otherwise I would leave the Coo- 
gress. He went on talking nonsense without stopping, referring 
•tx more times to our poverty — until I had the session inter- 
rupted in order to convene the Finance Committee. 

II the speakers wanted details, statements that we cannot give, 
, usc l ^ c y arc 100 snsall. The movement this year is nine tunes 
( nircr s figure) bigger than it was the previous year — but it i* 
just that last year it was ridiculously small. This is something that 
to be hurdled. Luckily our books, which we submitted to 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 653 

the Finance Committee, were in splendid order. We were able to 
ihow a surplus of 61,000 francs. 

The rest is in the Welt. 

• • • 

The opponents who had been announced with a lot of shouting 
evaporated in the CongTess. Landau made himself ridiculous 
with bis opposition; 1 didn't need to destroy him. Bambus pulled 
in his boms. 


September t, at Constance 

The Congress is over. 

A feeling of utter exhaustion. The last session until five in the 

morning. 

I nude the mistake of overloading the third day as the final 
day; hence the excitement of the final night and the successful 
dirty tricks of the Galician bastards Kohn (little Kohn). Landau. 
Sal/, and Mai/. Landau was the noisiest and the stupidest. 

It's true that I hamstrung them; but if I had not been so ex- 
hausted from that twenty-one-hour stretch of presiding. I would 
have annihilated them. Now the chairman's words needed for 
that occur to me. I should have said: Once more there is an at- 
tempt from the same quarter to affix a yellow badge of shame to 
our Congress! 

I should have nailed little Kohn like a bat when he was up 
there on the speaker's platform: Are you a Zionist? 

In short, many other things. 

One can't foresee everything. Otherwise, we would have had 
a splendid fourth day with the tum in the Dreyfus affair and the 
telegraphic reply from the Sultan which 1 had not counted on at 
alL 

I have to be all the more indignant at the behavior of Schnirer, 
•tokesch, and Mint/. These people actually wanted to desen me 
when they noticed the displeasure of the Congress at our failure 
to make the financial picture public. I let Mintz go, because he 
*“d been an uncertain recruit all year anyway. The two others I 


654 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HIR/ L 

induced to stay. Mintz is a bom deserter; he has caused me c 
barrassment enough. Schnirer and Kokesch are decent dcodT 
even though their hearts sank into their boots. They live 
too narrow horizons. They absolutely fail to understand why" 
allowed Newlinski to run up a hotel bill of 500 francs in Ila*l 
just as they approved his monthly subvention only with f ~,k 
gritting and mistrust. 

These are the instruments I have to work with. They break 

in my hand, like the wooden paper-knife at that tempestuous set- 
sion. 


• • • 

This diary is deficient — I feel it. The stormy aspects are lack- 
ing in their secret nature, which I could still get down direedy 
afterwards and then forget. The lifeless aspec ts are also lacking, 
and the moods of depression which they cause would be of even 
greater interest to the future readers of these notes. 

• • • 

During the Congress I also had a secret contest with the rabbu 
of the blackest stripe who had come to join the movement. They 
wanted concessions, which I denied them. I felt that they were 
yielding and wanted to salvage whatever they could from their 

C Cat * I made no concessions to them, they went along 

even without them. 


• • • 

. wrangles also about the Rank matter. However, the oppo- 
sition, with clever Bam bus at its head, did not attack our badly- 
covered position skillfully. When I saw that they chose a point 
° at . unfavorable to them and fought only for the addition 
A 3 |T S, | ,, f C 3n< * ^.^ rT * a to * of the first resolution on the 

I 1/ discussion so as to tire the people out. After I had 

et t cm scream on this point for four hours, I abandoned it, be- 
cause it was not at all important to me. They thought they had 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 655 

-on a victory, and the proposal to found the Bank — the only 
(hing that mattered— went through amid cheers. 

The only error in the debate on the Bank was that I allowed 
a half-hour recess to take place, during which time the physically 
fxhausted opposition was able to fortify itself a bit. 

• • • 

Today I am traveling with Hechler to see the Grand Duke. 

September 3, Bregcnz 

Yesterday, then. I was with the Grand Duke. It was a charm- 
ing early-autumn morning when Hechler and I went in the hotel 
a mage from Constance over to the island of Mainau. 

My mood was fundamentally different from the one before the 
meeting at Karlsruhe. I no longer expected so much from the 
conversation, which this time was to bring so incomparably much 
more. 

At eleven o’clock we arrived at Mainau Castle, but had to wait 
a full hour in the pretty salon on the ground floor. Court atmos- 
phere. Heavy lackeys, who still have the army in their bones and 
try to float over the parr) net floor with their peasant feet. Officers 
in civilian clothes, then a general (Muller?) who was Hechler s 
successor as tutor to the princes and accosted him. The general 
said with a touch of humor: "In those days you predicted to us 
the end of the world as imminent. I held it very much against 
you. And you see, the world has'nt come to an end yet. 

Hechler introduced me to the humorist, but I contented my- 
•elf with nodding coolly. The general looked at the photograph 
of the Congress with polite irony, too. Hechler is fine for the 
entree, but afterwards one becomes a bit ridiculous because of 
him. 

Then we had to step into an adjoining room, because the 
Grand Duchess and the Due hrss of Genoa were supposed io pass 
through the salon. Such small humiliatums, which are not di- 
rected against me personally at all. but against everything that 


656 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR IIF.R7X 

is not '’court,’' give me back my stiffness which I lose through 
obliging treatment. 

At twelve o'clock we were called to the first floor to see the 
Grand Duke. He was in civilian clothes, salon coat, white vest, 
and greeted me with great friendliness. During the entire audi- 
ence I was able to see his face only in silhouette because he inten- 
tionally sat with his back to the window, while I was fully illumi- 
nated as though I were to be X-rayed. 

The conversation was downright grandiose, highly political. 
If I were to publish it today, it would be a sensation for all of 
Europe. The Grand Duke conversed with me in the most can- 
did manner about all of world politics, and from each of his 
kindly words there shone lienevolence toward me and good will 
for the cause. But he also gave me a magnificent demonstration 
of his confidence by discussing with me the most secret German 
political matters and speaking unreservedly about the intentions 
of the Kaiser. 

He began by saying that the German government had made 
inquiries in Constantinople about the attitude there toward the 
Zionist movement and had been informed that the Sultan viewed 
our cause with favor. Ijter remarks brought out the fact that 
the inquiry was made through Herr von Manchall who enjoy* 
great favor with the Sultan. 

I was able to supplement this information with the news that 
the day before I had received a telegram of thanks from the 
Sultan. 

The Grand Duke told me that he had made a detailed repon 
about the Zionist movement to the Kaiser. The latter thereupon 
instructed Count Eulenburg to make a closer study of the matter 
and report on it. 

The Grand Duke now told me on what good terms the Kaiser 
was with the Sultan. This excellent relationship started with 
the Cretan question. The friendly turn that Germany rendered 
the Turks by withdrawing troops from Crete made the very 
deepest impression. German influence in Yildiz was now un- 
limited, he said. England has been crowded out completely, W 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 657 

a y nothing of the other Powers. And the Grand Duke added 
with a smile of satisfaction: "We have accomplished all this with- 
out using the fleet or making any special exertions. Germany’s 
wishes receive unqualified consideration. And if our Kaiser drops 
a word to the Sultan, it will certainly be heeded. But we have 
to be very careful. In world history, individual steps sometimes 
take a very long lime. One must have patience. First you must 
wait until the Kaiser returns. If he received you before that, it 
■igbt do the project more harm than good. You know what 
comments the Kaiser's journey has elicited everywhere. The 
KKalled Palestine journey, which was originally supposed to 
have only a religious character, has now become a political one. 
This follows from the fact that the Kaiser will be going to 
Constantinople first, whereas originally be intended to go di- 
rectly to Palestine. Thus he will first be paying a visit to the 
suzerain of the country. From Palestine he will then go to Egypt, 
that is, to another vassal state of the Sultan. 

Continued on the train: 

I remarked that it would be very welcome if I could make a 
presentation to the Kaiser before his departure, so that he might 
speak about Zionism in Yildiz rn conruussance de cause (from 
acquaintance with the subject]. 

The Grand Duke asked: "Do you intend to found a state? 

I believe that would be the only right thing for you to do, if 
you wish to have legal security. (I had told him that earlieT, and 
also that we don’t want to expose ourselves to the whims of pasha 
government ; A formula could be found by which you keep the 
overlordship of the Sultan, something like the former Danube 
principalities. What it would tum into later (he smiled) say, 
in a generation — that, after all. we cannot tell today.” 

1 now expounded my oft -mentioned points of view, our rela- 
tionship to the revolutionary parties, which evidently pleased 
him. ( Parbleu [of course]!) 

When I mentioned the consequences that Zionism has had 
in Russia, where the Socialists and Anarchists are being con- 
verted to Zionism, because we have given them an ideal, he 



658 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

nodded vigorously and said: "Pobedonostsev ought to hear that. 
You should tell it to him." 

He saw a major misgiving in the fact that certain groups of 
Jews would see something anti-Semitic in the partisanship of 
the German government. Until now, he said, people have re- 
garded Zionism as a species of anti-Semitism. And he mentioned 
the fact that during the Jewish riots in Algeria Rothschild had 
threatened the French government that he would leave the 
country if order were not restored. Thereupon a new governor 
had been sent to Algeria. He seemed to fear a similar threat of 
exodus on the part of the German-Jewish financiers. 

I tried to set him straight on this. The German Jews would no 
longer have anything against Zionism from the moment they 
were sure that no one would interpret it as unpatriotic behavior 
on their part. An exodus of all Jews was not intended anyway. 
Assimilation would start in earnest then. And just as the Huguenot 
families, who are still flourishing in Germany today, have been 
well assimilated, it would then be the same way with the Jews. 
Indeed, if a Heine wrote poetry for the Germans then, they 
would not cast him out as a Jew, but rejoice at his having sung 
the beautiful German songs. 

Just as Chamisso, whose home was Boncourt Castle, is con- 
sidered a good German poet. 

In other ways, too, I drew his attention to the fact that with 
the Jews a German cultural element would come to the Orient. 
Evidence of this: German writers-— even though of Jewish 
descent — are leading the Zionist movement. The language of 
the Congress is German. The overwhelming majority of the Jews 
are part of German culture. 

We need a protectorate — accordingly, we would prefer a Ger- 
man one. We cannot do things all by ourselves; people must help 
us if they acknowledge our endeavors to be just, etc. — the often- 
said things, but this time said at the right address. 

He liked all that. He also spoke about anti-Semitism, entirely 
in the spirit of Kaiser Friedrich. He called it an ugly movement, 
first anti-Semitic, then anti-capitalistic, finally anarchistic. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 659 

Hethler occasionally broke in with prophetic remarks about 
the return of the Jews * The Grand Duke listened to him with 
a benign smile, but nodded approval to me when I said: 

"Such things arc beyond my judgment. 1 can only speak of 

what I see. 

At this the Grand Duke said: “Yes, let us consider the matter 
onlv as a world-historical matter and not as a theological one.” 

Hechler spoke about the Ark of the Covenant which Henning 
Melander plans to search for. I asked the Grand Duke whether 
he had read those articles in the Welt. He said yes, and then he 
aid that the Kaiser wished to discuss this Ark of the Covenant if 
they were so inclined in Yildia. The Kaiser was extremely 
interested in the Ark, and its discovery would certainly be an 
event in world history. 

One of the wishes the Kaiser planned to express to the Sultan 
was for permission to conduct a search for the Ark. 

Many other interesting and noteworthy things were brought 
up. He spoke of the petty intrigues which the Prince of Bulgaria 
was carrying on now, and of how here, too, Germany had inter- 
vened between the little Balkan princes and the Porte; Milan 
in Serbia was the disquieting element. He said he had to tell me 
something that I, as an Austrian, would probably not like to 
bear — namely, that Austria no longer had the influence to 
intervene in this way. 

Then we spoke about Austria — he always with the greatest 
candor and confidence — and how deplorable the present bungled 
situation was. The latest proposal was to make Austria into a 
federation of states. 

That would be the end," I said "Whom would one place at 
the heads of the individual states?" 

“Archdukes perhaps!" said the Grand Duke. 

“I do not believe that would work." 1 replied. "1 he situation 
is different from that in Germany. Germany is stronger as a fed* 
eration of states, but Austria would be weaker. The unifying 
bond is lacking. The only one is the dynasty. T be archdukes 

* In 1* u* original 


660 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR | JFR7l 

could not be sovereigns, but only governors. A prince must „ 
out of the soil." 

And many more memorable words were spoken, not all of 
which now come back to my mind. Finally, at a quarter to two 
he said with amiable regTet that he had to dismiss us non He 
gave me a long hand-shake, assured me of his aid and his 
will, and said that he had a lively interest in the subject And 
when I had already walked a few steps away, he overtook rot 
again and squeezed my hand once more. 

I took my leave. 

Hechler stayed behind a few more minutes and asked if the 
fact that this audience took place might be made public The 
Grand Duke permitted it. But later I told Hechler, who will 
convey this to the Grand Duke today, that 1 preferred to forego 
the announcement so as to be able to operate in complete secrecy. 
It would give rise to distrustful discussion if it became known 
that the Grand Duke is interested in Zionism— just before the 
Kaiser s Palestinian trip. 

• • • 

Letter to Bacher, dated Brcgenz. September 3: 

Dear Friend: (Strictly Confidential) 

The Congress is over. I am sorry, and not for my sake, that 
e N. Fr. Ft. has again failed to take cognizance of this event 
In my devotion to you and our paper, which is well known 10 
you, I consider it my duty nevertheless to tell you that very big 
things are in the offing. The Sultan sent me a telegram of thanks 
at Basel. The Grand Duke of Baden invited me to visit him fol- 
lowing the Congress. Yesterday I have been to Mainau Castlf 
and had a two-hour conversation with him which would cause 
the greatest sensation throughout the whole world if 1 made it 
pu ic. The Kaiser will call on the Sultan in (xinstantinople 
prior to going to Palestine. 

It is high time for the N. Fr. Pr. to register the Zionist move 
ent. shall on<e more place at your dis|)osal an article about 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 661 

Zionism, which I will sign, so that it may not be taken for the 
view of the publishers. You are aware that I know how to write 

discreetly. 

Kindly direct your answer to Unterach am Attersee. 

If you don't wish to accept my suggestion, I still count on your 
complete silence to everyone, as though I had requested your 
word of honor in advance. 

With cordial regards, 

Your devoted 
Th. H. 

September 9, Unterach 

After careful consideration I did not mail the letter to Bacher. 
Wolffsohn. who accompanied me here, concurs with me in this. 

• • • 

Yesterday I wrote to the Grand Duke that for reasons of ex- 
pediency 1 would for the time being make no use of his permis- 
sion, conveyed to me by Hechler, to make public the fact that I 
had an audience with him. 

• • • 

At the same time I wrote the Vienna ambassador Eulenburg 
that the Grand Duke had informed me that he had been in- 
structed by the Kaiser to report on our movement. I would like 
to speak to the Kaiser before his Palestinian trip. If Eulenburg 
desired further information. 1 was ready to come to Vienna for 
a day. 


September 15, on the train to Vienna 

Yesterday I received this wire from Eulenburg: “Shall be 
av *dable on 16th, nine a.ro., German Embassy. Eulenburg.' 

I thereupon decided to go to Vienna at once. The German 
***** is coming to Vienna on the 17th for the funeral services 
°f the murdered Empress and may receive me. 


662 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

This time I have neglected entering a gTeat deal about tht 
Congress. 

Nordau was charming, amicable, and intelligent. He has rcc- 
onciled himself to playing second fiddle, and because of this 
shone all the more. This time, too, he was fully a Zionist, while 
the first time he had not used the word and the idea as though 
they were pan of him. Last year he only gave a report on Zion- 
ism. 

He was opposed to suppressing the financial report. He said it 
was praiseworthy to admit that we were weak and had only an 
army of beggars and fools. I would risk making myself suspect if 
an accounting of the money were not given. I stubbornly stuck 
to my view. 

At length he said that he was standing by the shore, watching 
me fight the waves in the middle of the river. (True!) I was 
swimming well and vigorously. But if he saw me in danger, he 
would jump in after me and pull me out. 

September 16 , Vienna 

This morning, with Eulenburg. 

When I arrived at the Embassy Palace, the Count has just been 
summoned to the Emperor at Schbnbrunn, because it was reported 
that the Prince Regent of Bavaria had had a stroke. 

I had to wait for an hour, together with Hechler, who had 
received permission from F.ulenburg to convert a small saloo 
into a Palestine museum for the benefit of the Kaiser, who ar- 
rives tomorrow. While mounting his charts, Hechler started 
perspiring and finally threw off his coat. He went on working in 
his shirt sleeves. At last everything was arranged: temple models, 
maps, plaster casts of ancient relics, etc. 

About half past ten the Count returned, apologized, and after 
inspecting Hechler’s curiosities, he launched into an amiable con- 
versation. 

He is a tall, elegant man, on life’s downward slope. Somewhere 

around 55 , but he still seems to have a future. Imperial Chancel- 
lor, perhaps? 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 663 

He gives the impression of complete self possession. You have 
a man before you who is locked tight like an iron safe. He looks 
you full in the face, and yet there is nothing to be read in his 
cold, blue eyes, in his wrinkled face with its grey, pointed beard. 
Suddenly the iron safe opens, although he has not moved a mus- 
de. The change lies only in the expression of his hard, blue eyes, 
which can become soft. And on bidding me farewell, while a 
moment before he had given me a full and friendly look, he 
suddenly locked himself up again. 

He opened the conversation by expressing two misgivings: the 
soil in Palestine was lacking in humus, and the Turks would 
view the immigration of two million people with disfavor, in- 
deed. suspicion. 

For the Sultan — he gave me a deep look — was downright crim- 
inal with fright. 

He spoke at some length and with assurance, although he evi- 
dently is not yet acquainted with the project. 

Then I took the floor and said all the things I have already 
said 10 often, in The Jewish State , The Basel Congress, etc. They 
were new to him and visibly fascinated him. 

He asked what I actually wanted the Kaiser to do at Constanti- 
nople; did I want him to tell the Sultan to give us the land and 
autonomy? 

No, I said, the Kaiser should only put in a word recommend- 
ing that the Sultan enter into negotiations with us. After all, the 
matter was very complicated. We were not really interested in 
getting permission to immigrate. We would take the country 
only on the basis of autonomy. 

The blue eyes repeatedly deepened as I spoke. He became per- 
ceptibly warmer. 

He had promised me at the outset that he would try to persuade 
the Kaiser to receive me in East Prussia, where he was going on 
a hunting party, for he was to accompany the Kaiser there. 

It was unlikely that the Kaiser would receive me tomorrow in 
Vienna, for he would arrive at one o'clock and leave again at 
°ine in the evening. During those few hours he would have a 


664 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

great deal of excitement, and he also had to confer with Billow 
with the Imperial Chancellor, and with others. I thereupon nude 
the suggestion that perhaps 1 could go along on the Kaiser’) Im- 
perial train and make my presentation to him en route. 

Eulenburg thought it over and said he intended to bring it up 
tomorrow, if the opportunity arose. 

But I think I made the strongest impression on him when I 
said: “Our movement exists; 1 expect that one or another of the 
Powers will espouse it. Originally I had thought that it would 
be England. It lay in the nature of things. But it would be even 
more welcome to me if it were Germany. The Jews of today are 
predominantly German in culture. I am not saying this because 
I am at the German Embassy right now, but because it is true. 
Proof: the official language of the two Basel Congresses.” 

The mention of England, in which I have been mistaken thus 
far (but which might still come through after all), was the coup 
final [clincher]. 

All of a sudden he declared that he would welcome my speak- 
ing with Biilow tomorrow. The latter was coming down from 
the Scmmering; he would not be attending the funeral services 
and might be able to see me. 

I put myself at his disposal, saying that I would be waiting at 
the I Veit tomorrow morning from ten o'clock on. 

When I was at the door, the blue eyes again closed down like 
iron, with the lids still open. 

I held the outer, he the inner, door-handle as I went out. When 
1 pulled it shut somewhat slowly, I felt a stronger counterpres- 
sure from inside the room. 

In the afternoon the Actions Committee met at my home. 1 
gave them a report. The two Marmoreks greeted my success en- 
thusiastically, Dr. Kahn was curious, Schnirer and Kokesch took 
it almost as a matter of course. 

Once a poor stock-exchange galopin [errand boy] suddenly 
made 50,000 guilders. During the first hour he nearly went cTazy 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 665 

with joy. By the second he said: ”50.000 guilders! Hasst d Tusch 

[Some big deal]! 

• • • 

As a reward for his past management • llechler gets his trav- 
eling expenses to Palestine — 1000 guilders, to start with. 

He is such a good old soul, modest and humble. He did not 
even ask for it. It does my heart good to make the old man's se- 
cret wish come true. 

September 18, Ischl 

Yesterday was a noteworthy day, one that might have become 
a day of destiny for the movement. Would the Kaiser receive me? 

1 slept late, wasn't a bit nervous, and didn’t arrive at the office 
of the Welt until the stroke of ten, having come from my home 
in the "Cottage” section. They had already phoned from the 
German Embassy that I was to come there at eleven. 

At eleven o'clock I drove up. The doorman told me Count 
Eulenburg was not in. I replied that I wished to see HerT von 
Billow, which surprised the lackey. On the staircase a footman 
met me: "His Excellency is expecting you." 

Biilow received me in his living quarten. with trunks open— 
he had just arrived. He greeted me with captivating kindness, 
uymg he had read many of my writings, was happy to make my 
acquaintance, etc. 

At this 1 grew’ weak. I had confronted Eulenburg. who had 
fttnvrd me coolly, with resoluteness, and my words had been 
iron like and clear. In Bulow's presence I unfortunately became 
a vain writer and strove harder to make polished mots [phrases] 
*han to talk seriously to the point. This was simply a fit of weak- 
“as caused by his ingratiating behavior. After the conversation 
1 had the delayed reaction devoir iU beret et roult [that I had 
***** properly taken in]. 

Btilow doesn't give the impression of being a Prussian, but of 

* '• la the origin* 1 


666 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HFR/i 

something like a North German Austrian: smooth, obliging, « 
times almost sweet, more vieux jeu [the old style] of diplomats 
than the new iron kind of Bismarck’s era. He is tall and slim, but 
not stiff; a friendly face with rather gentle eyes and a small 
blond-grey moustache, otherwise clean-shaven; the bearing of an 
old lieutenant who resigned his commission early because his 
gaiters bored him. Evidently has artistic leanings, too. (Eulen- 
burg had mentioned the day before yesterday that he had.) 

From this it may be concluded what a brilliant wind blows 
from the summit. The Prussian court appears to be more con- 
cerned with art than people suppose. 

Our conversation unfortunately was more of a chat than a 
tightly organized political conversation. It also jumped from one 
thing to another; the anti-Socialist aspect of Zionism was gone 
into in the greatest detail— ’ flirted with” would be more cor- 
rect; on the other hand, little was said about the Oriental-colonial 
and political aspects. 

Biilow was already informed about the Second Congress, and 
he asked why the N. Ft. Ft. had kept silent and the Frankfurter 
Zeitung had written in such an unfriendly tone. I explained that 
it was due to the fear on the part of the Jewish-liberal pa pen 
that the anti-Semites would question their patriotism. 

It was regrettable, I added, that our movement was actually 
becoming known only through jokes and caricatures; but if one 
had strong enough nerves, this too was a good way. afteT all, to 
popularize the idea. 

He nodded with a smile. 

I then expounded my theory about draining off the surplus 
Jewish masses. He agreed with me that through this immigration 
the lot and the situation of the remaining Jews would improve 
There were also plenty of Jews whose departure would certainly 
not be welcomed. But they would remain in any case. In fact, he 
did not believe that I would get many adherents from Centra! 
and Western Germany to come along; only from the Fast, and 
perhaps alv> those who felt the tightest economic squeeze and 
Who would then be led by a few idealists. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 667 

He, too, confirmed what Eulenburg had already told me that 
the Kaiser was by no means an anti Semite, which he was decried 
as being. He was merely against the destructive Jews. 

This brought us to Socialism. I made my position clear— that 
it was folly on the part of Jews to join the Socialist movement 
which would soon rid itself of them. Then, too, Jews were not 
Socialists at heart. I mentioned something that I had recently 
read: Pre Mosaic Egypt was a Socialist state. Through the Deca- 
logue Moses created an individualistic form of society. And the 
Jews, I said, are and will remain individualists. 

He liked that. too. He quoted Heine, who had talked about 
“egalitarian louts.” • The Jews, said Billow, would never put up 
with that equality stuff. He had once discussed the Socialist state 
of the future with a Socialist leader. It would be like a field of 
poppies in which every taller flower would be beheaded. Such a 
state would be boring and devoid of talent, too. 

Was all this courtesy to a visitor, or honestly meant? Both 
Eulenburg and Biilow expressed themselves about the Jews in 
such a way that if their words were made public they would get 
the reputation of being the most extreme philo-Scmites. 

Quite a few details of this conversation, which flitted about 
rnt truly, have already escaped me. When I quoted Biilow the 
Grand Duke's words about his being considered the most quali- 
fied person to make an unobjectionable presentation of such a 
tkficult and delicate subject as Zionism, he bowed and was quite 
touched; and at that moment he was the weaker of us two. 

But presently he regained the upper hand when he said: “If 
only wc were that far along, the key-word of the situation would 
be found. Whether you or I or another, wiser man says it makes no 
As I see it, the main difficulty lies in managing to give 
die Sultan that advice to enter into negotiations with you. It 
•wild surely make a big impression cm him if the Kaiser were 
•o give him such advice. But we would have to see to it that 
°dien do not find out about it, otherwise the entire combination 
®ay be upset.’* 

TramlatoTt Nmr Hrinr called Amenta the land ei the f.UuhhrtufUgri. 



668 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

I gathered that he was not in favor of my being received by 
the Kaiser either in Vienna or on the train. He didn’t come 
right out with it, but I sensed it, despite his geniality. Had I 
been too talkative and given him the impression that I couldn't 
keep my mouth shut? Or are their intentions toward us already 
so serious that they have to carry out this plan with caution? 1 
shall not find out until later. 

With regard to the Socialist aspect of the question, at any rate, 
we saw eye to eye. He was impressed when I mentioned the fact 
that at the University of Vienna we have taken students away 
from Socialism. Some might believe they will set up the Socialist 
state of the future ‘over there”; but that was not my view. We 
might be able to arrange some matters better than in our old 
society, but on the whole, things would probably have to remain 
much the same. If I thought otherwise, I would really be a 
Utopian. 

Again he had his charming smile: "Yes, it would then be the 
polis [city-state] of Plato!" 

We had chatted for about three-quarters of an hour. A servant 
entered and put something in order. At this Biilow suddenly 
asked me to excuse him: he had to go to the station to meet the 
Kaiser. 

And before 1 had had a chance to unfold the entire matter, 
our conversation came to an abrupt end. He dismissed me with 
the utmost amiability. I managed to give him Erter’s article from 
issue No. 37 of the Welt and told him that according to this 
article there was even less of a legal case for the French claims 
to the Orient than for claims which might be made by others. 
He quite shared this view and promised to read the article. 
Finally, 1 begged him to introduce me to the Kaiser, if possible, 
even though it were only in the train on the return journey. 1 
should be pleased to hold myself at his disposal in some baggage- 
car. Again he nodded. He never says no— nor yes cither. 

Then I left, and knew even on the stairs that nothing was go- 
ing to come of it— either because I had committed some blunder, 
or because he does not consider it expedient. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 669 

1 immediately summoned my good Hechler, so as to salvage 
wtotfVcr C ould be salvaged from the situation. 

Hechler then waited in the doorkeeper's quarters at the Em- 
bgiy during the entire dinner (which followed the funeral of 
ibe Empress). He sent his card to Count Eulenburg, saying he 
was below stairs and at his command. But no call was sent to 

him. 

I myself waited at the Welt for a call, from five o'clock on. I 
put a crape band around my hat and bought black gloves, so as 
to appear at the station in the proper court attire. It got to be 
debt o’clock — half past eight — a quarter to nine. Then Hechler 
ailed me on the phone. The Kaiser had just left with Eulenburg 
for the station — without remembering me. 

I was rather disconcerted and drove to the Wcstbahn terminal 
io order to take the train to Ischl. Hechler accompanied me. We 
agreed on what he should say to Eulenburg today. I planned to 
write Eulenburg from Unterach. At Ischl I received a wire from 
Colonel Em. saying that the German Eraliassy had telephoned 
to ask whether I was still in Vienna. He had replied: No. Should 
he call me back from Ischl? Unnecessary, they said; the message 
would be put in writing. 

Does that mean that all is not lost yet? 

At any rate. I have the promises of Eulenburg and Biilow that 
the German government intends to assist us in Constantinople. 
Vederemo [We shall see]! 

September tt, on the train at the Lake of Zurich 

When I left Unterach last night, no word had come from 
Eulenburg. Therefore I must assume that I evaluated the situa- 
tion correctly after my conversation with Biilow. I shall not be 
able to see the Kaiser. 

To make one last attempt. I plan to write the following letter 
to Eulenburg from Paris: 

Your Excellency: 

My devoted thanks for listening to me in \ lenna. promising 


670 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

me your help, and giving me the opportunity of speaking with 
Herr von Biilow. Unfortunately the conversation with the latter 
remained incomplete, since His Excellency had to leave for the 
station to meet His Imperial Majesty. Our discussion had not 
progressed beyond those points which would indicate that our 
movement can fight and weaken the revolutionary parties. 

Originally I had believed that this alone would gain us the 
exalted protection of His Majesty. But according to the remarks 
of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden I may assume 
that the further course of our movement in the Orient, if we 
should succeed in initiating an organized exodus of the prole- 
tarians to be settled, would engage the interest of German pol- 
icy. Actually it is an element of German culture that would 
come to the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean with the Jews. 

I beg Your Excellency not to interpret it as immodesty on my 
part if I once more present my request for an audience with 
H.M. It is of the greatest timeliness. I do not wish to reproach 
myself later with not having appreciated this important moment. 
One word from the Kaiser can have the greatest consequences 
for the shaping of things in the Orient. I should particularly like 
to direct the attention of His Majesty to some things which I 
have already briefly indicated to Your Excellency: 

i- The relief for the internal situation of the different coun- 
tries if those parts of the Jewish population that are con- 
sidered superfluous are diverted. At present they are supply- 
ing the revolutionary parties with leaders and lieutenants. 

*• In the natural course of things each country would relin- 
quish only as many Jews as it can spare. In each country, 
the drainage would come to a standstill along with anti- 
Semitism itself. For the stimulus to emigrate, which, as it is, 
is lacking or only slight in the upper economic strata, would 
then be eliminated. 

3 . For I urkey, the influx of an intelligent, economically en- 
ergetic national element would mean an unmistakable 
strengthening. Therefore, the advice which the Kaiser should 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 671 

give to the Sultan would be the advice of a friend. The lat- 
ter should enter into negotiations with the Zionists, which 
would for the time being involve no obligation and be kept 
completely secret. 

Turkey would have direct benefits (a large payment of 
money on our part, and possibly a further improvement 
of her finances) as well as indirect benefits, through the 
general increase in commerce. 

^ The return of even the semi-Asiatic Jews under the leader- 
ship of thoroughly modem persons must undoubtedly 
mean the restoration to health of this neglected comer of 
the Orient. Civilization and order would be brought there. 
Thus the migration of the Jews would eventually be an 
effective protection of the Christians in the Orient- 

5 . The needs of all of non-Russian Europe call for the crea- 
tion of a direct Southern route to Asia: that is. a railroad 
from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf. The Jews 
could and must build this gTcat road of the nations, which, 
if undertaken differently, might call forth the most serious 
rivalries. 

For all these reasons I venture to ask for a hearing from His 
Majesty, even before his departure for Constantinople. 

In the internal situation of France I now find a peculiar, com- 
pletely unexpected corroboration of my arguments. I lived there 
for four years and am somewhat acquainted with the country. 
Nevertheless, this time 1 am quite taken aback by the increase 
of disorganization in a short time. Thus France must acquiesce 
to every fail accompli which does not irritate it almost to the 
point of insensibility. 

What I am saying here quite plainly and seriously will, I 
hope, find its way to the genius of the Kaiser through the kind- 
ness of Your Excellency. 

The journey to the Holy land is now grandly conceived as a 
pilgrimage on the pan of His Majesty. But it can turn out to 
be more; it ran attain to the signficance of a historic turning 
point in the Orient, if the return of the Jews is initiated. 


672 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

And precisely this greater end would remain concealed for a 
while. It is the same as in the mountains, where a water-shed is 
not immediately noticed either. But then the waters flow differ- 
ently. 

Commending the cause which I represent in all humility to 
Your Excellency’s benevolence, I remain, with deepest respect, 

Yours faithfully, 

Dr. Theodor Herzl. 

With it, a second sheet: 

Since a letter addressed to Your Excellency might attract the 
attention of the local post office, I am arranging for it to be 
mailed in Cologne. My address, until September *9, inclusive, 
will be: Hotel Castille, rue Cambon, Paris; then, until October 
1: Doelen Hotel, Amsterdam; from October 2 until October 5, 
inclusive: Burlington Hotel, Cork Street, Piccadilly, London, 
W. Then, Vienna again. A message will probably rea<h me most 
inconspicuously through the German Legation in the cities con- 
cerned. 1 would be very happy if I received orders to travel from 
London to His Majesty. However, it goes without saying that I 
am available earlier, or later, at any place whatever. 

September 24, Paris 

I am writing the letter to Eulenburg at the Hotel Castille, in 
the same room and at the same table where I wrote The Jewish 
State. 


• • • 

Day before yesterday I was at Nordau’s, yesterday at Zadoc 
Kahn’s. 

Just talk. 

September 29, on the train to Holland 

Obviously there is no helping the French Jews. They make a 
fire with their beds. They seek protection from the Socialists and 
the destroyers of the present civil order. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 673 
Zadoc was of good cheer, because it no longer involves Drey- 
fus but Zola, and Picquart. 


The Hague, September 3° 

The French Jews are absolutely unavailable to us. Truly, they 
are not Jews any more. To be sure, they are no Frenchmen 
either. They will probably become the leaders of European 

anarchism. 


• • • 

I also had a farewell conversation with Nordau. He said he was 
unable to put himself at the disposal of the movement to the 
extent he would like to. He would jeopardize his position with 
the Vouuche leitung and his livelihood. Unfortunately true. 
It is a trying shame that we cannot support a propagandist ic 
talent like his. 

Nordau views my achievements with the Grand Duke and 
Bulow with skepticism. He thinks nothing at all of Billow s oblig- 
ing attitude. He feels that Bulow only wanted to have a chat with 
an interesting man who has recently been in the news. 

• • • 

Nordau showed me a letter from Gaster imploring him to < ome 
along to London , since I simply would not be dissuaded. 

Strange behavior on the part of Bentwich and Caster, who 
invited me in Basel to come to London at the beginning <«f Oc- 
tober and now arc against it. 

1 have only one explanation for Caster’s letter: he wants to 
cushion my appearance with that of Nordau. The rally shall n<»t 
be held for one man. Two men are less than one. thinks Caster, 
who teems to be concerned about supremacy * 

HowevrT. Nordau doesn't feel like playing a supporting role. 
*nd he isn’t going to london. 

* ^ ^ original 


674 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

The Hague, September 30 

Traveled again through the fragrant Dutch countryside. But 
not as I once did. In 1885 I was a callow dreamer who saw only 
the surface of things. 

Today the country has a different message for me. 

I see a city suddenly rising from the plain, without mountain, 
river, or sea — without motive, so to speak. This is The Hague. 

A proof that will-power makes cities rise. 

If I point my finger at a spot, and say: here shall be a city— a 
city will come into being there. 

All Holland is a proof of what men can extract from the most 
unfavorable soil. 

A young man in love sees his beloved under every woman’s hat. 

In the same way, to me everything is now an allusion to, and 
a memory of, my idea. 

The Hague, October 1 

Yesterday Kann, whom I came here to see about the Bank, 
took me to the painter Israels. A short, agile, smart old little 
Jew. He is just painting David playing the harp before Saul. I 
explained Zionism to him and recruited him. He thought the 
idea beautiful. 


October *, 6 o’clock in the morning 

What happened yesterday I shall record en route. 

I am now writing to F.ulenburg: 

Your Excellency: 

Please accept my humblest thanks for your very kind letter and 
all that it contained. 

1 shall leave London on Wednesday evening and go directly 
to Berlin; I shall report to Your Excellency immediately upon 
my arrival, since I can stay in Berlin only till Friday evening. 
My Berlin address is Palast Hotel, Potsdamer Platz. 

With deepest gratitude and respect, I remain 

Your Excellency’s humble servant. 
Dr. Th. H. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 675 

October 1, on the steamer between Flushing and 

Queens borough 

Yesterday the following took place. In the morning I went 
jjih Kann from The Hague to Amsterdam where I had directed 
m y mail. I did not expect, or only vaguement [vaguely], that 
Eulenburg would answer me. 

At the Doelen Hotel I was told that a gentleman had come 
there, looking for me. two days ago. Since I had written to no 
one but Eulenburg and my family that I would be staying at 
the Doelen Hotel in Amsterdam, I immediately guessed some- 

thing. . , 

The surmise became a certainty when I received F.ulenburg s 

note, the coda to his long letter. I immediately drove to the 

German Consulate, where I was received without the morgur 

offinfllr (official arrogance]. The secretary told me that I had 

been expected since yesterday. However, could I prove my iden 

tity? “Because that could cost us our necks.’’ I established my 

identity in more of a psychological than a documentarv fashion, 

since I had no papers of any kind on me. My passport was at 

The Hague. I persuaded them of my identity. I he \ icr-Consul 

was even more amiable when he handed me Eulenburg s letter. 

I read the letter in the carriage, and at first was almost 
by it The colossal achievement which it represented at first ha 
an unpleasant effect on me. I saw at once the grave consequences 
which this can have for me at the S. Ft. Pr. If, after the c *P ,r * 
lion of my leave. I go to Palestine instead of reporting f<>r ' "* v 
at the office, this could quite simply cost me my job. On e 
other hand, I cannot disregard the Kaisers wish, which re* y »* 
a command. F.ulenburg writes that the Kaiser would l>e »sap- 
pointed if he did not see me in Jerusalem. So there is n<> hesita 
ing Cest iengrennage [I’m caught in the toils]. I cannot c 
otherwise, I must put even my position at stake. 

Wolffsohn was waiting for me at The Hague. I d' not im 
mediately tell him and Kann what was in the letter. / **** * ' 
Itnlrmrni boulevrrs/ [I was literally bowled over]. I rode my 


676 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

bicycle, alone, to Scheveningen, relaxed through the physical 
exercise and the view of the beautiful evening sea. A sunset in 
reddened clouds, some cloud-drama of unknown melody and 
plot which was taking place between the lustreless sky and the 
shimmering sea, in bloody catastrophes, unintelligible but grip- 
ping. 

During the day I had seen many other beautiful things. The 
brownish-green, softly fragrant landscape between The Hague 
and Amsterdam. The deep green of the shrubs, the brown, oily, 
sluggish canals, the wandering wings of the wind mills — a whole 
enchanting world of muted color. In Amsterdam, the exhibition 
of the collected Rembrandts, including "The Night Watch," 
which was well hung this time and glowed with color. Also paint- 
ings by Maris, who is strangely reminiscent of Corot and Lher- 
mitte. The prettiest picture, however, in the Jewish Quarter. 
Three Jewish children, a tiny boy between two little boys, went 
sta f?f? e ring arm in along the side-walk, pretending they were 
tipsy, and humming the Dutch national anthem. It was Saturday, 
the shops were closed, the Jews in their shabbes dress: and I said 
to Kann: Ten years from now, the children in the Jodenbreet- 
straat and in all the Jewish quarters of the world must be singing 
the Zionist anthem. 

Not until later in the evening, after dinner, did I let Wolffsohn 
and Kann know the contents of the Eulenburg letter. First I 
asked Kann how devoted he was to the cause; anti when he 
avowed his complete devotion, I made both of them give me 
their word of honor and their hands, and read them the letter. 
Since it mentioned a deputation, I was justified in informing the 
two men I intend to take along. 

They were both astounded. We had been speaking of bank 
matters. 1 said to them: I must now establish the Bank under 
any circumstances. 

Kann said he could participate only if it was something solid. 
I replied that of course I preferred a good, solid frank, honorably 
conducted by reliable people. But I should have to deal with 
the other sort too. It is like a bridge. I come roaring along with 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 677 

a locomotive and can. There is a stream I have to cross. If there 
• a good bridge— so much the better. But I would get across 
^tn if the bridge was bad. They should help me to build a 
good, solid bridge. 

Kann, who was wavering a bit, seemed to have been stiffened 

by this. 

Then I went to bed and slept on the matter; and when I awoke 
at five in the moming. 1 knew as usual what I had to do. 

I sent Eulenburg the above letter not in the form of a letter, 
but as a telegram to Wolffsohn’s partner Bernstein in Cologne, 
and he is to re-telegraph it. 

In Berlin I shall try to dissuade Eulenburg from having the 
Laiser receive me in Jerusalem. Instead, he should receive me 
privately in Berlin. This is my view today, though it may be sus- 
cepuble of clarification and in need of it. By Wednesday, how- 
ever, I shall perhaps have considered the matter, surveyed it from 
other angles, and may recognize the trip to Palestine as a neces- 
sity. 

As of today the matter still seems premature. Still, it will serve 
to hasten the completion of the Bank. 

How swiftly we shall go ahead from now on is really incal- 
culable. 

Too bad that I am a wage slave of the S. Fr. Pr. Everything 
would be different if the tramps with whom I have so often strug- 
gled for my existence were different. 

What obscure, indesrri liable battles I have had to fight over 
every little step I took will never be suspected or appreciated by 
the ungrateful Jews, who will show enmity toward me soon after 
wccess has come. 


• • • 

One effect of the letter from Romintrn is that tomorrow eve- 
ning in the East End I shall speak more moderately, because un- 
fortunately the participation of the moneyed Jews will be nec- 

**"7 *fter all. 

I was planning to lash out at them. 


678 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

October 3, London 

While crossing the magnificent sea, I discussed many things 
with Wolffsohn on deck. He feels that I may be of even greater 
value to the N. Fr. Pr. after Palestine. 

After sleeping on it once more, I myself now incline to the 
view that maybe the trip won’t break my neck after all. 

• • • 

Last night here I received a telegram from Hechler, to whom 
the Grand Duke had given a detailed telegraphic account of the 
Imperial matters already known to me. 

This morning I received a telegram directly from the Grand 
Duke, saying that he had sent me important news* to Vienna. 

I am answering him: 1 most humbly thank Your Royal High- 
ness for the great favor. I shall be there in good time. 

Very respectfully yours, 
Herzl. 

• • • 

Tonight is the mass-meeting * in the East End. I slept badly, 
have heart palpitations of a disagreeable kind; and since I have 
prepared no speech, I am worried that I may be au dessous dt 
tout [at the bottom of the pile]. 

October 3, 6:45 in the evening 

In the afternoon, va et vient [coming and going] at the Bur- 
lington Hotel. Candidates for the directorship of the Bank pre- 
sented themselves. — The majority of the "Bank Committee" i* 
opposed to its immediate establishment. Bentwic h retires ,* as Col. 
Goldsmid retired when there was supposed to be some action. 

I am insisting on it: the Bank must be created now. The ex- 
penses of registering and establishing it will be borne by Wolff- 
sohn, Kann, and myself. — 


• In Engliih in ihc original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 679 

Between limes I had Sidney Whitman introduce me to the 
Bishop of London at the Athenaeum Club. Now I am supposed 
to leave for the East End and make a speech before 8000 people, 
and in the excitement of the last few weeks I have had no time 

to prepare myself. 

1 am not at all well today. Palpitations, shortness of breath. 
And so I go on riding across Lake Constance * 


October 4. morning 


Yesterday's mass meeting * * in the East End was attended by ten 
thousand people. My speech (in German) got much applause, 
but was oratorical only de chic [for style], and not good. Today 
I know some things I should have said. MoU [words] that would 
have had wings, etc. The usual thing. 

Very picturesque among my supporters* * was the Catholic 
Father Ignatius. In his black pleated monastu habit, with his 
medieval evangelist’s pulpit gestures, his beautiful, clear profile, 
his spirited speech, he was a joy to listen to and to look at. I 
admired him like a show-piece, while he praised me as if he were 
talking about someone else. The enthusiasm that I inspire leaves 
roe quite cold. 

Finally, a certain Herman landau, an ugly Mauschel, came 
forward to avenge his friend Montagu, whom I had attacked. He 
brought a jarring note into the meeting, and after the floor had 
been taken away from him, he screamed that we were trying to 
take money from poor people in order to start our Bank. 

Then the banker Seligmann, who had recently stabbed us in 
the back, asked to be introduced to me, and made a sweet-and- 
»ur face. 


I left on foot with Sidney Whitman. But we had to take a 
carnage after all, when the crowd of our followers on the main 
urcft grew too big. 


* TnMlator't Nocr An allinkm 10 the ballad, baaed on an old Swabian Wfmd. 
*” u ’ -nd der Bodentee. aiao known a* Der Sinter uber den Bodentee, by 
, Wiwab (I 7 v» iHyo) A Iravrlrr on hocarbaik unwillingly r»d«m arm* 
Imarn Lake Cornu oce Wbrn he rrachea lb* other dtorr mteh and ia lold at the 
frnI * ««o. he dropa dead 

f nglMh hi the oridnal 



680 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

October 5 , in the morning, London 

At the Burlington Hotel it is like at a bank. Big conversations 
in our drawing room. Cohen of Hamburg is on the side of the 
Englishmen who don’t want to establish the bank right now, but 
first a transitional corporation. Wolffsohn and Kann-The Hague, 
my confidants, want to go ahead immediately. Still, yesterday 
morning I inclined toward the view taken by timid Cohen, an 
amiable, cautious adviser. But Cohen made the mistake of taking 
me to the banker Rafaels. Rafaels, who seems to be a blockhead, 
knew nothing whatever of our movement. And Cohen asked him 
for advice. This turned me against Cohen and brought me back 
to the immediate establishment of the Bank. We went to see the 
Solicitor of the Bank of England, in order to ask his legal advice. 
He said we could found the Bank with seven shares. We have 


* 00 , 000 . 





October 5, London 

Last night the Hank project took a remarkable turn. 

We had called a meeting of the Colonization Committee at 
the Burlington Hotel for yesterday evening. Caster, Bentwich. 
de Haas, Greenberg, and Seligmann the banker were to attend. 
Others who were there were Kellner. Wolfbohn. Cohn. Kann, 
and Heymann. I treated Seligmann very coolly, hardly spoke to 
him— and the reason for this was the perfidious letter opposing 
the Bank which he had published in the Jewish Chronicle. 

Caster opened the discussion with petty details of the Coloni- 
sation Committee. I let them talk. When they were discussing 
the question of how to pay the secretary of the committee and 
talking about the shilling difficulties. Seligmann took the floor. 
He said he wished to tell us from where we could get the funds. 
Instead of the Bank we ought to found a Jewish Colonisation So- 
ciety • It would be possible to win the good will of the "big” 
bankers for such a society. He was speaking unofficially, to be 
sure, but he thought that such a society would easily raise not 
two, but five, million pounds. He intended to discuss this with 
Montagu and others. Our Bank would lead to catastrophes, d la 
Union Gtntrale, etc. 

I immediately sensed the victory that lay in this proposal, and 
answered him. holding up to him the entire list of sins against 
our movement committed by the bankers, argued down his mis- 
givings about the Bank, and threatened him with war and boy- 
cott if the big bankers came out in opposition to our Bank. 

He laughed out loud. But his laughter was too loud to be only 
mockery. There was also fright in it. 

Then I told him that I was ready to drop the Bank project 
if the land society • he had suggested came into being. I gave him 
a Berlin address for a reply within two days. I said, however, that 

* 1* EagUah in Ihe original. 


68S 




684 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

we would go ahead working for the Rank, because I had no con- 
fidence in the good will of the big bankers. And the matter could 
no longer be carried on in dilatory fashion. 


October 6, on the train to Berlin 

To me this incident is only one more proof of the necessity for 
the Bank. If it instils fear in the big bankers even before its 
establishment, it will accomplish all the more tremendous things 
once it exists. 


• • • 

Between Dortmund and Hanover I conversed with a fellow 
passenger, the London Zionist and tobacco-dealer Mayer, about 
the soil outlook in Palestine. He has been there, has set up to- 
bacco plantations, and finds the land first-rate. 

• • • 

What under the sun am I not going through in this movement! 

A noteworthy thing was the English promoter* scenes in the 
Burlington Hotel. The would-be directors that applied, all the 
comings and goings of the visitors. The worried dissuader Cohen 
from Hamburg, the sly little South African Hcyman, who 
doesn't know yet whether there will be a profit for him in it, and 
if so, how much. Because of this attitude of his Hcymann will 
have to be jettisoned at the next opportunity. 

In contrast, Wolffsohn, and next to him young Kann from 
the Hague, have been excellent, steadfast, loyal, adroit. For this 
both of them shall be made great. 

Also, the scenes with the English Solicitor Freskville, in ap- 
pearance like the fine picture of an old man in a castle ,* and 
many other things were very curious. 

The impressions pass by too fast. 

• • • 


9 In English in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 685 

On the crossing from Dover to Ostend I spoke with Wolffsohn 
about how obvious and easy the founding of this Bank, which is 
now costing us so many sacrifices, will be considered later. We 
three, Wolffsohn, Kann, and I. are advancing the founding costs. 
1 have subscribed to the largest number of shares (*ooo), also the 
largest number in proportion to my means, although the project 
certainly will not and must not yield me any profit. 

And we are being abused by scoundrels a la Herman landau 
on orders from other scoundrels like Montagu and Rabbi Adler. 

• • • 

Tomorrow I plan to write the following to the Grand Duke: 
Your Royal Highness: 

Even before I am acquainted with the full scope of things in 
the offing, I feel impelled to repeat to Your Royal Highness, even 
though only in brief summary, my mint respectful thanks which 
I have already taken the liberty of telegraphing from London. 

I cannot begin to express what comfort and reassurance 1 de- 
rive in the sometimes very bitter hours of the work I have started 
from the thought that the kindly hand of Your Royal Highness 
helpfully hovers oveT our work. The name of the Grand Duke 
Friedrich of Baden, which is venerated and loved by the German 
people, will be blessed by other millions as well when the time 
0,0,0 *hen on* *» allowed to say who was the first prince who 
look an interest in the deliverance of the poor Jews. 

Today 1 shall call cm Ambassador Count F.ulenburg in this 
niy. and I hope to learn from him the arrangements with which 
our Royal Highness is already acquainted in any case. It goes 
without saying that I shall be in Palestine in time. 


Berlin, October 7 

Thu draft was not sent off. because I learned from Eulenburg 
y that the Grand Duke was coming here. 

Therefore I am wiring him as follows: 



686 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER*, 

To Hit Royal llighnns, 

Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden, 

New Palais, Potsdam. 

1 have learned from Count Eulenburg, on whom I calltd it 
Liebenberg, that Your Royal Highness is turning here. Forth* 
reason I am staying heTe one day longer. 

This \ery day I was going to send off a letter with my no* 
respectful thanks for all the favor I have experienced from Your 
Royal Highness. As a precaution I preferred not to write froa 
abroad. — Now I would be very happy if I were accorded the 
privilege of being received by Your Royal Highness tomomw. 
in order to request your exalted, kindly counsel at this nr* 
turn in affairs. 

Your Royal Highness' respectful servant. 

Dr. Theodor Henl 
Palast Hotel. 


Berlin, October 7 

On arming here last night I was disappointed at «x M| 
the expected message from Eulenburg I considered asking h* 
by telegram whether or not I ahould tome to L,cbro ^C ( ~ 
tided limply to wire him that I waa coming out today by “ 
rapt etc. And it waa good that I dtd. For nwanwhde . km 
him waa on the way. telling me to eapect him here " “ 
or in my hotel. The latter obvioualy a mere geature <*>« ■» 
However. I preferred to talk with h.m out there 
that way I learned in good time ol the Crand uke^ _ 

I almoat miwed the train thia tnorntn*. Tl* ^ 1 

forgotten to call me. So. alter _ up ^,L.. nA ihmlfflt* 

time and. a. uaual. planned errnTt^bdore^^ ^ 
waa not yet aeven o'clock. Finally 00 “ , „ orbikr 11 

The tram waa due .0 leave the Stett.ner "***££*+ 
I jumped up. and in fifteen minutea , |(K ^wr** 

fasted and was rushing to the station. I p 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 687 

ble fare. Luckily I still made the train. A lovely autumn morning 
enveloped the Mark which is by no means such a sandy desert as 
people say it is. So we too shall convert the sandy deserts of our 
country into a beautiful Mark. 

At Lowcnberg the Count s dog-cart was waiting for me. The 
coachman surveyed me haughtily when I asked whether he was 
waiting for a Dr. Henl. He had been told only: a tall gentleman 
with a black beard. I am probably the first Jew he has ever driven. 
Nevertheless 1 managed to draw the stiff youth into an almost 
friendly conversation. A refrain from one of Spielhagen’s novels 
kept running through my head: *’H inrich Scheel drove the 
horses." For here 1 was right in the midst of Spielhagen’s world, 
the landed gentry, who had been spoken of in the circle in which 
I used to live, among scoffing Jewish liberals, with nothing but 
haired, fear, and derision. The noteworthy thing about the epi- 
sode is that I am by no means coming to them as a submissively 
fawning assimilationist, but as an upstanding Jew. This Hinrich 
Scheel had probably never driven a |ew before. When 1 asked 
him about distances, from Potsdam, etc., he explained them to 
me by the time it takes the Dragoons and the Yellow Uhlans to 
cover the ground. Hinrich Scheel — who, incidentally, is going 
to Vienna « the Count's coachman — thinks in terms of Dragoons 
and Yellow Uhlans. Huntsmen, too. He said that hunting had 
been going on for three days now. A few of the gentlemen were 
still in the castle. The Count himself would probably go to Ber- 
lin this evening. 

This morning a few gentlemen had gone out after pheasants. 
In the sunny fields, an occasional bird flew up; I lacked a shot- 
gun and the skill for them. These birds have evidently been re- 
producing themselves from time immemorial, for the benefit of 
noblemen who on fine autumn days go out to kill them. 

On the fields, which are now being turned over, here and 
*ncre small groups of peasants. Potato harvest. A living poem of 
the Mark. 

In a brief half-hour we were at Liebenberg. A beautiful manor 
l*>uae, to which a new wing is being added. I had no chance 


688 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

really to look around. Two footmen were waiting outside the 
irate One of them announced me to the Count. In the hall, hunt- 
L weapons and trophies. The whole, grand style * 1 he Count 
came out at once. He was in hunting costume, and it seemed to 
me the first thing he did was to take stock of my clothes. I had 
carefully considered what I should wear, and had taken my grey 
frock-coat and trousers, although under different circumstances 
the light-colored lounge-suit would have been more appropriate 
The light-colored suit would have been informal. However, I 
certainly did not want to give the impression that I considered 
myself a guest. I was coming on business, a shade less habilU 
[dressed up] than if it had been in the city that is, gTey rather 

than black. 

1 believe he found me suitably dressed. 

He led me into the great hall where the whole family hap- 
pened to be gathered: his mother, wife, daughters, sons and their 
tutors. I only had time to glance quickly at the very elegant 
tableau and was unable to take in any details. A billiard table did 
strike my attention, as well as a breakfast table, a few beautiful 
old pictures — and the autumnal park shimmered through the 
tall French windows of this ground-floor hall. Eulenburg briefly 
introduced me to the whole party and invited me to take a stroll 
with him— a bit of le tour du propridtaire [the proprietor’s tour]. 
But even though he permitted me a glimpse of the magnificence 
of his estate he nevertheless did so in a grand manner, for he is 
in every way a grandiose gentleman.* Naturally, as a member of 
a race which he considers a higher one, he feels superior to roe. 
But how can 1 resent it when I consider the wretched vs ay in 
which precisely the “higher” Jews — that is, the kind he has <<»n 
tact with, if any — behave toward our idealistic cause." Inciden- 
tally, he does seem to acknowledge the fact that one tan avMKiJtf 
with the Jew Herzl. 

Since I am not forcing myself upon him socially, and indeed 


• In ilngliih in iht original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 689 

had made it quite clear at the outset that I intended to go back 
just as soon as we had completed our business, his air of superior- 
ity could not shock me. We got down to business. 

To begin with, he reported: "I have already written you every- 
thing of importance, at the Kaiser's order. The Kaiver is very 
warmly inclined toward the project. I succeeded in making him 
take this attitude, or else there would simply f>e no point to it. 
He has to be gTeatly interested in a matter, otherwise he soon 
loses sight of it. which is understandable, because such a great 
variety of things happen. To be sure, I had already mentioned it 
at Vienna, but there we did not have the proper leisure for it. 
Afterwards, at Rominten. it was different. There I was able to 
return to the subject repeatedly, and I did." 

I interjected: "It is one of the many different remarkable dis- 
pensations that we should have found an absolutely ideal advo- 
cate in Vour Excellency.” 

He gave a gratified nod. "That is true. My standing with the 
Kaiser u such that I am able to speak to him differently from, 
and more than, many others. Very few people can go as far as I. 
There is always one point or another beyond which a man does 
not dare to go; then he withdraws. I have been able to bring the 
matter up again and again, and I have succeeded. Fortunately 
for your cause I have also been able to win over Bulow, my best 
friend and a most outstanding statesman. By the way, the world 
will yet see quite extraordinary things from Bulow.” 

I remarked: 'Bulow dews not seem to have exerted himself 

very much in Vienna. I had the impression that he was none too 
willing.” 

The Count: ‘lie restrained himself — which is understandable 
« a first meeting. One is cautious, does not let oneself go im- 
■®li*t*ly. However, the main thing is not what he said to you, 

i what he said to me when 1 tried to persuade him. I convinced 
nun.” 

1 *P°ke a few warm words of thanks. At this F.ulenburg re- 
war ed, while looking at me steadily with his steely eyes: “Per- 





690 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

haps the moment will come when I shall claim favors from you.” 

I declared: "Henceforth you will find in me a devoted and 
grateful man.” 

He said: "I am glad that you feel that way about it.” 

I: "Your Excellency may count on me. Perhaps you will permit 
me to give you proof of it at once.” 

He made a motion of refusal with his hand. "No, not right 
now. The occasion may arise some day, but this is not the time.” 

I begged him to be assured of my devotion at all times. 

I am skipping about a bit in retelling this conversation, just 
as it comes back to me. After all. during all these talks I must 
concentrate my presence of mind on bringing up the right 
things. That is why I am always weak in reproducing them later. 
My own impressions are less strong, because I use all my psychic 
energy to make strong impressions. 

He said that I should go to Constantinople in any case. Per- 
haps the conversation there would be sufficient, and I would not 
have to go on to Palestine. 

I called his attention to the fact that it was not just a question 
of myself, but of a deputation as well. I would not be able to use 
residents of Palestine for the deputation, because they might get 
into trouble with the authorities if they associated with a foreign 
sovereign over the Sultan’s head. 

He said that it was nevertheless the Kaiser's wish to receive a 
deputation of Zionists in Jerusalem. 

I remarked that in any case I was the only one who could 
present the people. I intended to take along a man from Cologne, 
one from the Hague, and one Viennese in addition to myself. I 
did not want to include any Englishmen now, for political rea- 
sons. Russians might be harassed upon their return because of it. 
Altogether, Russia was the great problem. It is true, I said, that 
up to now our movement has been tolerated and our numerous 
associations have been left in peace. Hut this has been so only 
because there has been no talk of any intercession on the part of 
Germany. There is no way of telling what the situation will be 
once the German sponsorship becomes known. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 691 

Eulenburg’s comment on this was that, in his opinion, nothing 
need be feared from Russia. “The Czar’s intentions are obviously 
idealistic, as evidenced by his peace proposal.” (At this, a hint of 
irony in his steel-like eyes.) "If worst comes to worst, our Kaiser 
could write him a letter and win him over to Zionism. Since 
Russia has no objections to the departure of the Jews, no obsta- 
cles will be placed in the way of the cause.” 

I mentioned the extraterritorial iza tion of the Holy Places, in 
the well-known way. 

Eulenburg seems to anticipate difficulties only from England 
and France. With regard to the latter country, I was able to give 
him information gratifying to us. France was now undergoing a 
severe crisis. Law and ordeT were being championed by liars. The 
country was too weak to take any action in the political arena. 

Eulenburg further told me that the Kaiser had already got 
quite used to the idea of a protectorate. The Kaiser did not 
doubt that the Sultan would receive his advice favorably, since 
he was convinced of the Kaiser’s friendship. And the Kaiser had 
also said that he could justify his espousal of the Jewish cause to 
his own people! 

Wonderful, wonderful! 

So the intervention, the protectorate, of Germany is a fait ac- 
quis [actuality]. Nor does it detract from the colossal import of 
this accomplishment that Eulenburg told me at a further turn 
in the conversation: "We can only desire it. How it works out 
later is in God's hands. We <annot know today whether we shall 
be able to pursue the matter to its conclusion. 

"Germany will not go to war for the sake of the Zionists.” 

When we had set out from the manor-house, a footman came 
after us with a telegram Eulenburg read it. then called to the 
* eTVam , who was standing by at a distance, to take the telegiam 
*° Q»Ue. and put the paper on the ground for the servant to 
p»ck up; meanwhile we walked on. through the garden into the 
Woodl . and then back. 

After we had talked for a half-hour, I mentioned the two tele- 


692 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

grams from the Grand Duke, especially the one sent to me di- 
rectly at London and mentioning important news • 

“He wired it en clair [openly]?” asked the Count, shaking his 

head. 

“Yes, en clair" 

“He is coming here tomorrow, probably to bid the Kaiser fare- 
well. It was in the telegram I received just now. 1 am invited to 
luncheon. This will give me a chance to speak to both gentlemen 
about your business. After the meal; when one sits back comfort- 
ably and chats.” 

Then I said that I would stay over for a day in order to thank 
the Grand Duke. 

And we left it with the understanding that I would keep my- 
self at their disposal at the hotel tomorrow in case 1 was sum- 
moned. 

A game-keeper with two dogs straining at the leash came into 
view. The Count had been showing signs of impatience for some 
time now. 1 declined his invitation to cat a second breakfast, 
which had been set out especially for me, on the pretext that I 
was anxious to get back to Berlin. 

The Countess was charming on closer contact, when I said 
good-bye, and shook hands with me very amiably, although we 
had not spoken together. The Count finally instructed the coach- 
man to take me to the station by a lovely roundabout route. A 
waving of hats, and then Liebenberg lay behind me. 

Hinrich Scheel drove the horses. But this time, I think, with 
greater respect, for he had seen the Count stand in the gateway 
until my departure. 

Hinrich Scheel was silent. 

• • • 

Following Eulenburg’s advice, I only left my card at Billow's. 

Something else occurs to me: I pointed out various considera- 
tions. Actually, I said, there were two forms of effectiveness. H 
a widely-publicized demonstration is the object, then of course 

* In English in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 695 

a reception of the deputation would be the best thing. But if it 
is desired to lay the actual ground work in secret — thus, “long- 
range effectiveness.” as it were — then it would be better merely 
to receive me here or in Constantinople. I was, of course, at their 
disposal in either case. 

Eulenburg said that since a protectorate was involved, the 
matter could not remain concealed for very long. 

Therefore he thought it best to come right out with it. im- 
mediately and demonstratively. The world would then have to 
come to terms with it. 

Here 1 recognized the Prussian. This is the forthright grand 
old style. Open and above-boardl This way they have accom- 
plished everything. 


Berlin, October 8 

The protectorate! Many will shake their heads over it. But I 
believe the only right course is to accept it gratefully, now that 
it has been offered. For surely no one among us has dreams of 
a monarchy, since I have none. 

To live under the protection of this strong, gTeat, moral, splen- 
didly governed, tightly organized Germany can only have the 
most salutary effect on the Jewish national character. Also, at 
one stroke we would obtain a completely ordered internal and 
external legal status. The suzerainty of the Porte and the pro- 
tectorate of (^rmany would certainly be sufficient legal pillars. 
The only question is whether it should be “and" or “or,” suze- 
rainty and/or protectorate? We shall see how this develop. 

In any case, the big-money scoundrels will no longer be able 
to behave as they have up to now. 

• • • 

I am racking my brains over what Eulenburg could have meant 
favon." Whatever they may be, he will get them — no mat- 
*** when, no matter where, no matter how. Everyone who comes 


694 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

into contact with me shall get the opposite of the proverbial 
opinion of the Jews. 




Today I am sitting in the hotel and waiting. 

It is now high noon, and I have had no sign of life whatever 
from either the Grand Duke or Eulenburg. They are now at 
table in Potsdam and must be talking about me. If my calcula- 
tions are correct, I am bound to be summoned to Potsdam this 
afternoon. I have laid out everything; black frock-coat, shirt, 
neck-tie, shoes; and I am having my hat blocked. 

But I also made such preparations on the day of the Empress’ 
funeral in Vienna, and 1 was not called. 

To be sure, if the matter is now being taken as seriously as 
Eulenburg says and writes, and as the Grand Duke telegraphs 
en clair [openly], it is absolutely essential that I be called to 
Potsdam. I would be completely mistaken in the Kaiser if, after 
luncheon, he does not simply give orders to summon me. Per- 
haps the Grand Duke will have me sent for? 

At all events, tense moments in the serial novel of my life. 

In the evening I must definitely go to Vienna. 

October 8, 1:15 p.m. 

The expectation is becoming more and more tense. 

I am putting on my No. 1 patent-leather boots, so as to lose 
less time dressing when the command arrives. 

I was at the hotel clerk's desk a moment ago when one of 
Billow’s servants came and left the latter's visiting-card for me. 
From this I infer that Eulenburg has spoken to him during the 
morning and that things arc going well. 

• • • 

Strange ways of destiny. 

Through Zionism it will again become possible for Jew's to 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 695 

love this Germany, to which our hearts have been attached de- 
spite everything! 

Berlin, October 8 , 4 :*o p.m. 

At half-past three the following telegram arrived from the 

Grand Duke: 

*To Dr. Theodor Herzl, Palast Hotel, Berlin; despatched at 
Potsdam, Oct. 8 . 

My letter to you left Mainau for Vienna on the fifth, but am 
glad to be able to see you here, if you are willing to come very 
early tomorrow morning, say, eight o’clock. Stadtschloss, Pots- 
dam. Friedrich. Grand Duke of Baden.” 

I replied: 

’To His Royal Highness Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden, 

Stadtschloss, Potsdam. 

Shall be there at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Most re- 
spectfully, Dr. Th. H.” 


• • • 

This delays my depart ure by another day. I can’t go to Vienna 
until tomorrow evening. The whole party of travelers will be 
delayed. All my arrangements, ordering of clothes, etc., will be 
impeded. But que faire [what to do]? I must definitely find out 
all the details here first. 


October 8, 5 p.m. 

I am now waiting for Eulenburg who, according to the time- 
tables, ought to arrive here from Potsdam at four-thirty in order 
to make the 6:06 train to Lbwenberg. Provided that he is return- 
ing to Liebrnberg via Berlin. Aftet that there is only one other 
train from here to Lbwenberg. at ten o’clock. To be on the safe 
wle, I shall leave word with the desk clerk that 1 shall be at the 
Koniglichn Schamptrlhaus [Royal Theatre] until ten o’clock, so 
•bat I can be summoned by telephone if Eulenburg comes later. 


696 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

I have often thought of withdrawing from the movement as 
soon as I achieve something decisive. I would then say: No re- 
ward would be too high for what I have done for the Jews. But 
even the smallest reward would give rise to the assumption that 
I have done it for the sake of some advantage. Now, it would be 
a terrible disgrace for the Jews if someone were to reproach rae 
with such a thing. To forestall that, 1 am taking my departure, 
and this is the last service I am performing for the Jews. 

My mind always does hurry ahead of events. But now the 
latest developments give me an idea that goes even farther: that 
I shall be in no position to act thus. For the German government, 
which is making agreements with me, will want me to remain so 
I can keep them! 


October 9 , in the evening, 
on the train returning to Vienna 

The car is shaking badly, and that is a pity. For tomorrow in 
Vienna comes a great whirl of fresh events, and I shall have no 
time to make entries. 

And this has been a tremendously interesting day. I was up 
by half-past five — no rest day or night.* Careful toilette. At seven 
o clock I was at the Potsdamer Bahnhof. Going up the steps ahead 
of me was — who? Biilow. Grand salut [Big greeting]! Then again 
on the platform where he was walking up and down with a gen- 
eral. However, I quickly got into a compartment, so that he 
would not think I wanted to intrude. If things went well, I was 
sure to see him again during the course of the day anyway. 

On the trip out there I was quite calm, without the least ex- 
citement within me. On arriving at Potsdam, I did not look 
around for Biilow, but immediately took the first cab and drove 
to the nearby palace. 

The sentinel at the gate, the ensign of the guard, and finally 
a flock of servants directed me to the Grand Duke's wing. I had 
to wait for a quarter of an hour in the ante-room, rather disre- 

• Trantlaior « Note: Krine Ruh' hri Tag und Naeht, a phraac from I hr German 
vmion of Lrporrllo t opening aria in Moun t Don Gi ovannt. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 697 

garded by the valetaille [servants] who carried on their conversa- 
tion about silver and laundry without paying any attention to me. 
I turned my back to them and looked out at the impressive cour 
(fhonneur [grand courtyard] of the Prussian Versailles. 

The activity would be a good subject for a feuilleton. A great, 
splendid order. All sorts of lackeys and maids, a whole hierarchy 
of horses and carriages. 

At eight o’clock sharp, the head footman issued an order, 
which was relayed from one to another of several servile spirits, to 
announce me to the Grand Duke. And he, the kindly soul, did 
not keep me waiting long. I was immediately conducted to him 
through three or four sumptuous salons. He received me in an 
exquisite study, wearing a general's uniform. I don't even re- 
member all the kind words with which he greeted me. 1 only 
know that I love and venerate this wise, good, and gTeat man. 
Never in my life have I met a man so truly aristocratic through 
and through, never have I believed that princes like him exist. 

After he had asked me, with his customary courtesy, to be 
seated in an armchair facing him, he opened the conversation. 
I thanked him for all he had done. He waved it aside, smiling 
gently. His letter had been sent to me at Vienna on the fifth. 
Now he wished to give me an oral report. "The Kaiser,’* he said, 
‘‘has been thoroughly informed about the matter and is full of 
enthusiasm. That word is not too strong: he has taken to your 
idea quite warmly. He speaks of it in the liveliest terms. He 
would also have received you by now, for he has confidence in 
you; but it is now deemed better to receive you at Constanti- 
nople and at Jerusalem." (Apparently the Kaiser was conveying 
this message to me through him.) "Things seem to be going well, 
* 00 . A good report has come from Herr von Marschall. and that 
in itself it a success. The Kaiser believes that in any case the 
Sultan will rcrrtve his advice favorably. For during the Cretan 
c *i»i» the Sultan had occasion to assure himself of the Kaiser's 
*°od will. The Kaiser has now undertaken to mediate and he 

®*<nds to go through with it. He is enthusiastically in fasor of 
it.” 



698 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

The good Grand Duke repeated the word several times— as 
though intentionally, so as to make me feel quite hopeful. And 
so I told him quite confidentially about the various difficult hours 
I had had to go through. There have been times, I told him, when 
I could have lightened my burden by saying that the Grand 
Duke of Baden was in sympathy with our cause. But I had al- 
ways kept silent. And it was just as well. For the cause would have 
had more authority, but also more enmity, if people had known 
that a man who had seen and taken part in so many great affairs 
was in favor of it. 

He said: “Yes, it is just as well if the personal element is not 
too much in evidence. Even, and especially, in the hour of suc- 
cess there are always people who begrudge it to a man. What 
difficulties we had effecting the unification of Germany! Many 
a man who later benefited by it would not participate.” 

I listened to his allusions to that great epoch, made in confi- 
dence and yet with aristocratic restraint. It was one of those 
moments when one pinches oneself to make sure one isn't dream- 
ing. Here was one of the greatest men of the greatest period of 
Germany speaking in this way with me, a plain journalist. 

We then turned to some of the specific obstacles. I mentioned 
Russia as the greatest. There we would have to come to a clear 
understanding about the extraterritorial i/at ion of the Holy 
Places, the extra commercium [removal from the trafficking of 
nations]. Then all that remained would be to take the poor Jews 
out of the country. Surely no one would object to this out of 
sheer cruelty. 

He said: “In Russia one must be prepared for anything. Let 
me just remind you of how the Germans in the Baltic provinces 
were treated. In that case persecution was carried quite far — as 
far as Siberia." 

The situation in England appeared more favorable to him. 
He agreed with me that the English Church favored our idea, 
even though English statesmanship had not taken up the matter. 
He was glad to hear that I had spoken with the Bishop of I/mdon. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 699 

We then talked about France and her present situation He 
listened attentively to my report which culminated in the con 
elusion that France was too weak to resist a fait accompli. 

He remarked that the conditions were moving toward a dic- 
tatorship. and called my attention to the fact that the younger 
Napoleon, the Russian general, was in Paris now. He could be 
expected to make a coup de mam if he won over the generals 
I said that this man was too little known in France; on the other 
hand, the Duke of Orleans would have more chance, at least in 
the provinces. Pahs was strictly Socialist. 

After that he said: “The generals are in agreement among 
themselves In case of war they would no longer act together 
It would be different only if we provoked things-only then 
would they be united. But let us hope that we shall not live to see 
such eventualities.” 

And he spoke with the greatest frankness about the French 
general vtaff. In the Dreyfus affair, the rotten system was rebelling 
less against the acquittal of the innocent man than against the 
exposure of the embezzlement and fraud of the secret fund. 
Boisdeffre's hurried resignation was probably connected with 
the three millions of the fonds secrets (set ret funds] which they 
could not account for. 

The Grand Duke is convinced of the inefficiency of the French 
army Of course, many things have improved since .870. but 
things have gone to rack and ruin nevertheless. 

Then the conversation turned to the expansion of the German 
««7. of which he is a warm proponent. He expects a great deal 
own the new ly founded Naval Association, which aims at the 
popubri/stion of proposed marine legislation in the country. 

er told me that he had had research conducted to find 
. 1 011011 domcttic indintry participated in the expan- 

_ c nav T had turned out that not a penny of the 
was leaving the country . . . And these German ships 
KTved to secure new markets for the entire domestic econ- 
*»d to increase the greatness of the Empire. After all. it 


700 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF I HEODOR HF.RZL 

was not a matter of world dominion, hut of the economic welfare 
of the people. He reminded me of Venice and what it had accom- 
plished hy its sea power. 

With admiration I listened to these exalted, mature thoughts, 
surrendering to their calmness without even being acquainted 
with the details. I suggested to him that he disseminate these 
views among the people in some easily grasped and entertaining 
form, and placed my pen at his disposal for this. That would 
be the most effective propaganda against the S<x i a lists. 

Then we got back to our project. I said I would not iu.ik< it 
public in any form, but leave it to the German government to 
release whatever seemed suitable to it. 1 he presentation of the 
matter would require a great deal of caution and skill. I would 
remain silent. 

Thereupon he thought it desirable for me to speak with 
Biilow that same day at Potsdam, and advised me to wait for 
Biilow at the Hotel Einsiedler. 

He thought that this would be a suitable form of presentation: 
With the consent of the Sultan, the Kaiser would take the migra- 
tion of the Jews under his protection. 

We had talked for about an hour and three quarters. He con- 
cluded the conversation with kind words. When 1 thanked him 
for everything with feeling, he said he regarded it only as the 
fulfilment of a duty. I should not hesitate to turn to him when- 
ever I needed him. By now I must have noticed that he was no 
ill friend to the cause. 

Long and warmly he pressed my right hand, from which I had 
forgotten to remove my glove, as etiquette would have required. 

The lackeys outside were amazed at the long audience and 
made low bows. That's nothing new to me. 

• • • 

Then I checked into the "Einsiedler," opposite the palace, 
and wrote to Biilow, asking whether he would receive me. I had 
breakfast and looked out the window. A splendid group of 
officers, for the Flag Festival. And up the street came cadets. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 701 

littler and littler ones, the future officers of this inexhaustible 
Germany, which wants to take us under its protection. 

Fully dressed 1 threw myself on the bed of the small room 
which I had taken for a short time. 

At noon a reply came from the palace: Minister-of -State 
Biilow requested me to come to room No. 149 of the palace at 
about one o'clock. 

I went. They were just making preparations for a dinner. 
Lackeys and officers' orderlies in droves. Glanced into an Im- 
perial office .* It all could scarcely have been any bigger. 

Bulow’s servant was awaiting me outside Room 149, at the 
end of the long palace corridor. I was immediately ushered into 
a small rococo apartment: ante-chamber, salon, bedroom, in 
bright colors. 

Biilow was in the salon, but not alone. A short, crooked old 
gratlrman. bedecked with decorations, a yellow grand-cordon 
across his court dress, sat with him. Both arose and I was intro- 
duced — to the Imperial Chancellor, Prince Hohenlohe. 

I understood at once: a trial of the heart and reins.* * 

Hohenlohe looked at me with his dim, blue, old man's eyes 
in anything but a kindly fashion. From him. too, I heard the 
first anti-Semitic remark in these exalted circles: 

"Do you think that the Jews are going to desert their stock 
exchange and follow you? The Jews, who are comfortably in- 
sulted here in Berlin?” 

I replied: "Your Highness — not Berlin West, but Berlin East 
or North — I don’t know exactly where the poor Jews live here 
—will go with me.” 

All of Hohenlohe’s objections were terre a lerre [on a low 
kvel) — somewhat in the vein of Agliardi during that ulk in 
the nunciature in Vienna. The Catholic objections, ao-io-speak. 

He also asked what territory we wanted to have, whether as 
far north as Beirut, or even beyond that. 

I said: ”We will ask for what we need — the more immigrants, 

* In KorImIi in original 

** Tiaatlaior's Soar prufung «yf Hen nnd Suren (1‘uiw 7. 10). 



702 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF I HEODOR HERZL 

the more land. It will, of course, be purchased from its present 
owners in accordance with civil law. 

Hohenlohe: “Who are these?” 

I: “Arabs, Greeks, the whole mixed multitude • of the Orient." 

Hohenlohe: “And you want to found a state there? 

I: “We want autonomy and self-protection.” 

Hohenlohe: “What does T urkey say to all this?” 

Je le croyais mieux renseignd [I had believed him better in- 
formed], and replied: ‘The Grand Duke told me that favorable 
reports had come in from Herr von Marschall. 

Biilow, who had been sitting in the comer of the sofa next to 
Hohenlohe’s armchair, with his lips pursed tight and his eyes 
deliberately vacant, interjected: “I don't know anything about 
that. I’ve seen nothing from Marschall on the subject.” 

I did not allow myself to be disconcerted, and said: "I have 
reports that the sentiment is favorable. I recently telegraphed to 
the Sultan and he replied.” 

Hohenlohe then asked a few skeptical questions about the 
number of those ready to migrate, and the funds available. I 
referred to the various funds which would combine when things 
reached a serious stage. One of these funds, I said, amounted 
to ten million pounds. 

Biilow, who had been listening en poupte rose aux yeux de 
porcelaine [like a pink doll with china eyes], now remarked: 
“That’s a lot! . . And, half turning to Hohenlohe: The 

money might do the trick. With it one can swing the matter." ## 

Hohenlohe was silent. 

Earlier, when I was taking a seat opposite him in a rococo 
armchair, he had taken his white-plumed two-cornered hat from 
the table between us and put it on the little side-table, so as to 
have a good view of me. 

Now he picked up his hat, said to Biilow, “I>et's go to that 

• In English in original. 

•• Translator’s Note: These two sentences are reproduced in the Berlin dialect 
in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 70S 

dinner now,” and got up; we also arose. He gave me his hand 
and went out. 

Biilow too was suddenly in a great hurry: 

“See you in Constantinople, doctor!” And he adjusted the 
gold shoulder-cord of his blue court-dress. 

“Where will the Kaiser receive me? In Constantinople and 
in Jerusalem?" 

“In any case only once!" said Biilow. 

I said: “Shall I, then, submit at Constantinople the address 
which I am to deliver at Jerusalem?” 

"Yes, oh yes!” And he was already in the next room, where 
I beard him call out in an irritated voice, “Neumann! Neu- 
mann!" Evidently the valet. His F.xcellency was, or pretended to 
be, in a rush to get to “that dinner.” 

Back again through the long corridor; in the office • one could 
see even more feverish preparations for “that dinner.” 

When 1 was downstairs and was walking alongside the palace, 
a brilliant suite of officers was just coming from the park and 
toward the ramp of the palace. The kaiser! — who has certainly 
spoken about me a number of times today and is quite enthusi- 
astic, according to the Grand Duke. 

But why the depressingly cool behavior of Hohenlohe and 
Biilow? 

There are two explanations for this. 

Either they are at odds with their Imperial master, but do not 
dare as yet to stand up to him. So for the present they treat the 
nutter with dilatory coldness, in order to trip it up at the proper 
moment and bring the whole thing to the ground. 

Or is it merely the official face of diplomacy? This is how they 
probably always sit back in sofa comers and armchairs, with eyes 
which practically suck dry the person they are watching. This 
u how they probably always display the utmost indifference — 
even toward matters which 611 them with the greediest excite- 
ment. I believe this is the vieux jeu [old style] of diplomacy. 

* * •• ■ lofltah la (he original 


704 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

If Bismarck had concerned himself with the matter while he 
was Chancellor, he would no doubt have dealt with me differ- 
ently. He would have attacked me differently— I would have de- 
fended myself differently. Cela aurait Hi un plus bel assaut (That 
would have been a grander onslaught]. 

But how strange that the Imperial Chancellor du jour [of the 
present] is obliged to enter into negotiations with me— and with 
obvious repugnance at that — regarding which the dethroned 
Bismark did not even answer me three years ago; it may have 
seemed that crazy to him. 

Today the German government concerns itself officially with 
a matter which Bismark did not think worth so much as a chat or 
a letter in reply. 

Hohenlohe and Bulow are certainly cold and unfavorable. 
But how does it happen that the good Grand Duke spoke of a 
success involving Marschall, which Billow knows nothing about." 

How does it happen that Eulenburg tells me Billow is won 
over, when the latter, or at least Hohenlohe, shows himself unin- 
formed? 

Perhaps the explanation for Billow’s coolness is his ignorance 
of how much the Grand Duke and Eulenburg have told me about 
the Kaiser’s attitude. After all, this, more than anything else, is 
what counts. 

Of course, I also must not forget that the most splendid inten- 
tions of this Kaiser of genius often arc subsequently corrected, 
denied, and modified by his counsellors. 

He was forced repeatedly to change his policy toward Social 
Democracy. In other cases, too, he was not always able to carry 
out his best decisions. Therefore, caution I 

However, I believe that even if worst comes to worst our idea, 
as the jilted darling of the German Kaiser, would lie taken up 
by others, for this adventure can only contribute to its advance- 
ment. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 705 
October 10 , morning, on the train, nearing Vienna 

Supplement to the Bii low- Hohenlohe conversation; 

Billow: "In any case it would lie the first eastward migration of 
the Israelites. Until now they have always moved westward.” 

I; “Not at all! This time too it’s toward the west. It is simply 
that the Jews have already circled the globe. East is west again.” 

At which both smiled. 

Throughout the conversation I was en pleine possession de 
moimime [in full control of myself]. Not flustered for a moment. 

Vienna, October 1 1 

Addendum to the conversation with the Grand Duke. 

He spoke about Rome. “We may have nothing good to expect 
for our cause from Rome. A Protestant empire is odious to the 
Jesuits down to their souls — their black souls. Now, our empire 
as such is not Protestant, to be sure, but embraces all creeds. Yet 
it is a fact that a Protestant is at its head, and this is what bothers 
them. Therefore we must expect opposition from that quarter in 
Palestine, loo.” 


October 1 1 , Vienna 

Immediately upon my arrival in Vienna I had Marmorek con- 
vene the Actions Committee. Marmorek himself declared he 
could not go on the trip, because he might lose a lot of money on 
a building he had started for his father-in-law. loiter he asked for 
time to think it over. 


• • • 

At noon at the Neue Freie Press*. 

I spoke first with Benedikt. He was still antagonistic, but 
wavering deep down inside. He said he had carefully read the 
reports on the Congress and was beginning to see the light. We 
had given up a gTeat deal of our original program. He does not 


706 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

believe in the Bank and is afraid I could compromise myself with 
it. "If you raise two millions pounds, you can hang me. 

"Will you put that in writing?” I said. 

"Vienna, October 10 . If you raise that two million pounds, you 
can hang me.” 

He made a droll gesture toward the desk, as though he meant 
to sign it. 

Then with Bather, who was grinning uncertainly. 

I showed both of them the telegram from the Grand Duke call- 
ing me to Potsdam. Naturally I told them nothing further, but 
prepared them for something big that was in the air. 

They both tried to worm the secret out of me; but they did 
not succeed. 


• • • 

In the evening, the A. C. — Schnirer, Kokesch, Marmorek — 
met at my place. I gave them a report. 

Kokesch suggested that the presidium of the Congress go to 
Palestine as a deputation. I accepted this proposal and immedi- 
ately sent an urgent telegram to Nordau and Gastcr, asking them 
to go to Brussels today where Wolffsohn would give them further 
information. At the same time I wired Mandelstamm. asking him 
to go to Tarnopol where we are sending Marmorek. 

In the course of the day negative replies came. Nordau can't 
come until the beginning of next week. This is a way of saying 
no if one is urgently summoned at once. Caster wanted to be 
wired first what it was all about, and since Wolffsohn didn't give 
him any information, a difficult problem came up in Gaster's 
congregation and he couldn't get away. 

The most willing of them was Madelstamm, I believe. But 
it would have taken him two days to get a passport, and therefore 
he wasn't able to go across the border. 

• • • 

Foreseeing these refusals I had already provided an alternative: 
The Actions Committee is to go. I was going to take Schnirer 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 707 

and Marmorek with me. But then Kokesch, the least suitable 
one, sulked because I did not choose him. Schnirer pointed out 
that for him it was a matter of subsistence because he lived from 
hand to mouth. The traveling expenses alone wouldn’t be 
enough. He would also lose wages and must provide for his 
family. We quickly decided to compensate him. Marmorek has 
a big construction job which he cannot leave. Despite this he 
came round and promised to go with us. Wolffsohn telegraphed 
that Bodenheimer wanted to go along. That would make six of 
us. of whom Kokesch is quite superfluous. They want to leave 
only Kahn here, to carry on the daily business. 

• • • 

After the A. C., Newlinski came to see me. I plan to send him 
to Rome while I am in Constantinople and Jerusalem, to pre- 
pare the ground for me. On my way back I intend to go to Rome. 

He thinks the most that could be achieved would be some- 
thing negative, at best a few indulgent words in an encyclical. 
But something would have to be done for the Peter’s Pence, too. 

Entrndu [Agreed]. 

I promised him (by agreement with the A. C.) two thousand 
guilders for his trip. 

During working hours at the office today, a row with Bather 
and Benedikt. 

I said to Bacher: ”1 have been invited by the Kaiser to go along 
to Palestine." 

The news actually depressed him. 

Don't you find that interesting?" I asked him. 

"I foresee difficulties for the Neue Freie Preuf arising from 
this. After all, he invited you as a Zionist.” 

In any case, not as an editor of the N. Ft. Ft. You need not 
•rite anything about Zionism in the future either. For you the 
**** thing would be if you let me expound the matter in the 
Pf*r •— But suit yourself.” 

Then with Benedikt, who looked away wildly, shyly, and en- 
** 0ttl b r * I presume that they are cooking up something; perhaps 


708 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
they are going to disclose my confidential information to the 
Foreign Office. 

I asked them to get me a recommendation to the Austrian 
ambassador at Constantinople through the foreign Office. 

Bacher referred me to Bencdikt. The latter, back to fiac her. 

Benedikt lied: "Calice has been our enemy for the past two 
years, since the time you were there with Newlinski. He wrote 
a secret letter about you to the Foreign Office, which Dckzy 
conveyed to us.” 

"Well, I wanted to grab Ddczy by the throat; you kept me 
from it.” 

Incidentally, I need Calicc like a hole in the head. 

El sur cela bonjour [And with that, good-bye]. 


October it 

The two greatly excited me again yesterday. 

A strange psychological phenomenon that Bacher causes me 
more anguish than Imperial Chancellor Hohenlohe! 

In his presence, strangely enough, I still feel like what I once 
was: a shy journalistic tyro, although he certainly does not im- 
press me intellectually. 


October 14 

On the Orient Express, on the way to Constantinople. Nearing 
Sofia. 

Great hubbub in the last hours before the departure. Head- 
quarters: my home. 

After a lot of back and forth it was derided that Schnirer and 
Seidener the engineer would go along from Vienna. 

• • • 

The day before yesterday I called on Ambassador Mahmud 
Nedim Bey. One hour of absolutely empty talk. To my request 
to give me introductions to Constantinople he replied with an 
Arabian tale: A gardener came to a wealthy man and begged him 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 709 

for a loan. The rich man refused gruffly. Half a year later the 
poor man came and brought him a basket of fruit by way of 
thanks. The rich man was astonished and thought it a mistake. 
"No." said the pauper. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, because 
you did not put me off, but gave me a flat No. That way I lost 
no time and turned to someone else who helped me." 

In the same way, he, too, did not wish to put me off. He must 
not recommend me. otherwise people would think he had been 
bribed. But if an inquiry came, he would make a favorable 
report. 

Since that was all I had wanted from him in the first place, 
I was quite content. 

1 said: "I hope. Your Excellency, that I. too, will return in 
half a year with a basket of fruit.” 

• • • 

Yesterday, prior to my departure. I read U riser K at he hr n 
[Our Kalie) to the actors in the Burgtheater. There, too. I wanted 
to establish a fait accompli. Who knows how much longer I shall 
be with the Neue Frete Presse. And by now I know people well 
enough to realize that they would also punish me for the loss 
of my position. 


• • • 

Yesterday I did not bother to go to the office, so as not to let 
myself be excited again by Messieurs Bacher and Benedikt. I 
•ent the "Steward's Key to the Literary Section” (the key to 
my desk) to Bac her with a few joking words of excuse. 

• • • 

Taking leave from my loved ones was quite hard this time. 
1 could very well stay in my beautiful house, with my lovely 
children, whose rosiest childhood is passing without my enjoying 
H; who are gum ing up without my observing the delightful de- 
**•!» of their development. And I am undertaking such a long 
J 0W, * ,C Y- that may not be without danger. I have even been 


710 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

warned that an attempt on my life might be made in Palestine. 
The warning came from Ben \ chuda, through Dr. \\ erner. 

But it is my duty to go. 

It affected me deeply at parting that my good parents cried. 
They would be the only inconsolable ones if I did not come back. 
It would be no comfort to my poor old parents that I would 
then be a figure in world history. 

They both blessed me when I left them. May God keep them 
healthy and grant us a happy reunion! 

• • • 

In the waiting-room in Vienna I saw the Berlin ambassador 
Ahmed Tewfik, accompanied by Mahmud Nedim. 

Yesterday evening, after dinner, 1 chatted with Ahmed Tewfik 
for hours. I believe he is not favorably inclined. But I mean to 
make him benign. 


• • • 

The Austrian ambassador, Calice, is also on the train. At first 
I didn’t recognize him. He is the source of the IViczy slander. 

I didn't want to recognize him either. But then, in the afternoon, 
he passed me in the smoking-room and smiled at me. At this 
I greeted him. 

October 15, on the train, nearing Constantinople. 

Yesterday evening, after dinner, I chatted for two hours with 
Ahmed Tewfik in the smoking-room. I got him to talk, so 1 
could inquire incidrmment [incidentally] about the Sultan's 
relationship to the Kaiser. For Mahmud Nedim had given me a 
skeptical answer to a similar question. He had said that in the 
Cretan question Turkey had not got very much out of Germany 
and Austria. They did withdraw from the concert of the Powers; 
but he wished they had stayed in it and defended Turkey. 

Ahmed Tewfik, on the other hand, was delighted with the 
Kaiser and with Germany. The Sultan and the whole Turkish 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 711 

people, he said, were filled with gratitude for this great friend. 
They regarded the importation of German culture to Asia Minor 
as a major boon, etc. 

Naturally, this information pleased me greatly, for it betrays 
the kind of disposition that we need for our cause. 

• • • 

With Wolffsohn and Bodenheimer we converse in code, so 
as not to be understood. The code words are “the old man” for 
the Grand Duke, "the nephew" for the Kaiser, etc. My good 
Wolffsohn. who goes along with everything, finally went so far in 
his precaution as to say "the J. S." for my pamphlet about the 
Jewish State. 

• • • 

All the fellow passengers recognize me and whisper. An Eng- 
lish clergyman. Mr. Biddulph, a charming person, introduced 
himself to me m route, saying he was a Zionist. 

• • • 

Discussed with Bodenheimer the demands we will make. 

Area: from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates. Stipulate a 
transitional period with our own institutions. A Jewish governor 
for this period. Afterwards, a relationship like that between 
Egypt and the Sultan. As soon as the Jewish inhabitants of a dis- 
trict amount to $4 of the population, Jewish administration goes 
in force politically, while local government (communal au- 
tonomy) always depends on the number of voters in the commu- 
nity. 

These are Bodenheimer's ideas, in part excellent. 

A transitional stage is a good idea. 

• • • 

At the station we were met by Danuaso and that servile Greek, 

Konsiantinidc*. 

No sooner had I arrived and changed than I drove to ^ ildiz 




712 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Kiosk in order to announce my presence. All the scenes already 
familiar and therefore lacking the interest of those first days two 
years ago. It was raining, and the city, which could be so beauti- 
ful, looked even filthier and more down-at-ihc-hccl than it had 
then. 

When I drove to the hotel from the station in a carnage, 7.ia 
Pasha passed on the old bridge, he recognized me and gave me 
a long, searching glance. 

In the hotel, the sycophantic activity. Fawning frauds. 

In Vildiz Kiosk, crowds of idle servants. I had myself an- 
nounced to the Second Secretary, Djevad. He was not in. Why 
didn't I come back tomorrow (today)? I left Newlinski s letter 
of recommendation, which says that I have come pour d/puter 
mes hommages au pied du trdne de Sa Majesty Imperiale le 
Sultan [to place my respects at the foot of the throne of 1 1 is 
Imperial Majesty the Sultan]. 

Then I went to the Chief Master of Ceremonies, Munir Pasha. 
He wasn’t to be seen either. For him, too, I left a letter from 
Newlinski of the same contents, introducing me as the head of the 
Zionist movement. 

1 am not a bit interested in seeing these gentlemen. It is only 
a matter of acte de presence [putting in an appearance], lest they 
make false assumptions. 

Meanwhile I had sent Bodenheimer to the German ambassa- 
dor, Marschall. 

He and Wolffsohn came back soon after 1 had returned to 
the Hdtel de Londres from Yildiz. Both of them downcast. 

Bodenheimer described the course of his mission as follows: 
"I got to the Embassy and sent Marschall my card on which I 
had written that I had an important disclosure to make to him 
in behalf of Dr. Herzl. He received me coldly, and after 1 had 
told him that you were requesting an audience from him he said. 
‘I don’t know Dr. Herzl.’ Thereupon I declared: 'Dr. Herzl 
is the leader of the Zionists and has been in touch, in pervin and 
in writing, with Count Eulenburg. It concerns the reception of 
a deputation by his Majesty the Kaiser.’ At these words 1 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 713 

noticed that Marschall was taking on a more conspiratorial 
expression. But he replied: I cannot receive Dr. Herzl now, 

because in half an hour I shall go to the Dardanelles to meet the 
Kaiser.' Thereupon 1 took my leave. If you still want to sec 
Manchall. you must go to the Embassy immediately.” 

1 decided not to go, for, since he was on the point of leaving, 
I would in any case have been une figure piteuse [a sorry figure]. 
Still, it i» a blow that Marschall, on whom I had counted defi- 
eiente [in the absence of] Billow, has such a negative attitude, 
doesn't even know me, or claims not to. 

Later it occurred to me that Bodenheimer might have said 
the wrong thing by mentioning Eulenburg. For Eulenburg pre- 
sumably was one of the "men in the background” of w'hom 
Manchall spoke when he “rushed into print.” 

• • • 

The evening passed with disagreeable thoughts. We went to 
the Petits Champs theatre for one act. Two years ago the troupe 
of /a Mororina was at this out-door theatre. Now there is a Yid- 
dish theatrical troupe, presenting Gibor-Hail. 

A depressing impression. Since this pitiful an, such as it is, 
represents the top achievement of our jargon-speaking masses, 
their present level must be recognized as a most sadly low one. 
/’« ZfZ icoeuri [I was disgusted]. 

• • • 

For dinner there showed up, in addition to Danusso, Lionel 
Bey Bondy, the ad hoc correspondent of the .Veue Freie Preue, 
a Bohemian Jewish opportunist of the Catholic faith and in 
Turkish services. He had read in the evening paper (the work 
°f the Greek Konstantinides) that Dr. Herzl, “the director of the 
,\eue Freie Preue," had arrived here. Did 1 perhaps wish to 
rr P on on the Imperial journey in his place? Maybe he wanted 
to find out other things, too, because he is in and out at Yildiz, 
I reassured him, saying I was on a trip for my health with my 
Biends and did not have any reportage in mind. 


714 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Then, when he bragged about his "intimate friends" Tahsin 
Bey (currently the Sultan’s first favorite) and Nuri Bey, 1 
asked him to bring me together with these two. I know that 
I was demanding something impossible these days, and did it only 
according to my principle of pluspetitio [making exorbitant de- 
mands], since great lords must always be given the opportunity 
of granting something to someone or of denying it. 

• • • 

Overnight I slept on the next plan. Tomorrow I shall have a 
letter delivered to Billow, saying that I have to see him the very 
same day, because otherwise the deputation could not be on the 
scene in good time. As a last resource, if Billow fails me, which 
I expect with near-certainty: a wire to Karlsruhe asking for the 
telegraphic arrangement of an immediate audience with the 
Kaiser. This is the ultima ratio [last resort]. 

• • • 

Also overnight: Bodcnheimer’s transitional stage is simply 
impossible. We can demand only the creation of an organic germ 
cell — a Jewish land-company for Syria (with chartered* sover- 
eign rights) — and, if all goes well, get it. 

Detailed legal proposals would provoke an immediate brusque 
refusal from the Turks. Therefore, a return to my idea of a 
Jewish Company. 


October i 6 

The formidable armies were bom of cowardice. 

October 17 , Constantinople 

I think I am now once again riding over Lake Constance. 

• • • 

Nothing happened all day yesterday. In the morning, letters. 
In the afternoon, a visit to poor, good Mrs. Gropler at Bebek. 

* In Rngluh in the original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 715 

She lies in bed and waits for her disintegration. Yet she is charm- 
ing and intelligent. I promised her to come to see her each time 
on the day after my arrival in Constantinople. 

A beautiful evening with southern colors on the Bosporus. 

October 17 

Now that Marschall has failed us, the great problem is how 
to get to the Kaiser. I shall try to get a letter into his hands 
through Court-Marshal Eulenburg. I am also writing to Biilow 
and telegraphing to the Grand Duke for aid. 


Letter to Court- Marshal August zu Eulenburg: 

Your Excellency: 

I have received a written message at Amsterdam, and later a 
verbal message at Liebenberg, from His Excellency the Ambas- 
sador Count Philipp zu Eulenburg that His Majesty the Kaiser 
is willing to take the cause of the Zionists under His Most Gra- 
cious Protection and wishes to receive a deputation in the Holy 
Land. I have learned likewise that Your Excellency will most 
kindly prepare the reception of the deputation. 

I now permit myself to present to Your Excellency the enclosed 
letter for His Imperial Majesty, begging you to take note of its 
contents and to submit my letter to His Majesty at your earliest 
convenience. Time is extraordinarily pressing, and if everything 
»» to be in accordance with His Majesty’s wishes, which have been 
conveyed to roe by His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden, 
« expeditious treatment of the matter will be necessary. 

begging Your Excellency to accept the expression of my 
deepest respect. I am 

Your very obedient servant. 

Dr. Th. H. 

HAtel de Londres, Pera. 


716 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Letter to the Kaiser: 

Your Imperial and Royal Majesty, 

Most Gracious Kaiser and Lord: 

After the disclosures which His Royal Highness the Grand 
Duke of Baden was gracious enough to make to me last Sunday 
at Potsdam, I venture to direct to Your Imperial Majesty the 
most humble request to grant me an audience, even though brief 
and confidential, here in Constantinople. The reasons for this 
request are as follows. 

The reception of a Zionist deputation in the Holy Land will 
undoubtedly supply the public opinion of Europe with material 
for discussion. If this discussion is accompanied by a fait accompli 
— one that need not be announced in its full extent — any inter- 
vention on the part of others, which may be intended as hostile, 
will come too late, and everyone will have to acquiesce in it. 
Precisely at this time France is inwardly so weakened that it can- 
not make a move. To Russia the Zionist solution of the Jewish 
Question means an enormous relief; in addition, the problem 
of the Holy Places will simply be eliminated. 

Nor is an effective objection to be feared from English policy, 
since the English Church is known to be on our side. 

Everything depends on the form of the fait accompli which is 
to be created. 

In my modest estimation, the permission for a "Jewish l^nd- 
Company for Syria and Palestine” under German protection 
would suffice for the moment. This land-company would gradu- 
ally establish the other, more specific organs of implementation. 
The* 


• • • 

• I raruhlort Note: The break at thU point cormpomit to the original 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 717 

To His Royal Highness, 

Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden. 

Karlsruhe. 

That was all. By way of precaution, the telegram 1 had in 
mind was not sent off. following a consultation with Wolffsohn 

and Bodenheimer. 

• # • 

•observation of the general political situation will then deter- 
mine when and where, at what moment and to what extent, the 
German protectorate can be given a greater public emphasis. 

Even if His Majesty the Sultan does not immediately realize 
what aid the Zionists would bring to his impoverished, decaying 
state, he will accept Your Imperial Majesty's advice in a personal 
discussion as to how his administration and finances could be 
regenerated. Once this moment of personal contact is past, the 
intrigues, which so proliferate in the Orient, will begin to hold 
sway again. 

Tomorrow morning at ten o’clock a Russian steamer leaves 
for Alexandria; it is the last boat that I can take if I am to be in 
Palestine in time to present to the Kaiser in the land of Israel 
the delegation of European Zionists which has been ordered 
thete. If, therefore. Your Majesty wishes to grant me the favor 
of giving me a secret hearing prior to the public gesture, the 
available time is limited. I could come to the German Embassy 
inconspicuously and there await my orders. 

Cod s designs hover over us in these world-historic hours. 
There is no fear if He is with us. 

'Vith the most profound respect, I remain 
Vour Imperial and Royal Majesty’s most humble senant. 

Dr. Th. H. 

• • • 

Tramluar'i Note: Thus In ihr anginal Thr irnirnrt brofcra al an the prr»i 
^ coalman her*. 


718 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
Letter to Bulow: 

Your Excellency: 

1 have the honor of most humbly informing you that I am 
keeping myself at your disposal here. Unfortunately 1 can stay 
here only until ten o’clock tomorrow morning, because this is 
the hour at which the Russian steamer sails for Alexandria, the 
last ship I can still take if 1 am to be in Palestine in time to 
present to His Majesty the Kaiser the delegation of European 
Zionists which has been ordered there. 

1 should like to request Your Excellency to be kind enough 
to inform me when and where the deputation will be received. 
There is also the question of determining exactly the contents of 
my address to His Majesty. 

Begging Your Excellency to accept the expression of my deep- 
est respect, I am 

Your most obedient servant. 

Dr. Th. H. 

HAtel de Londres, Pera. 

October t8, Pera, to: 15 in the morning 

I just made a clean copy of the letters, a bit excited. In the 
letter to the Kaiser I made a slip on the 3rd page; it should have 
read “when and to what extent.” In my nervousness I wrote 
"moment” instead of "extent.” I was afraid I would have to 
write the whole thing over — unpleasant when the time presses 
so. Then I helped myself by inserting "where”: when and where, 
etc. 


• • • 

Wolffsohn, my most reliable man, has now left by coach for 
Yildiz, together with Danusso and a dragoman, to deliver the 
letters. 

This morning Schnirer and Seidener arrived. 

Bodenheimer is a bit of la mouche du coche [a busybody]. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 719 

I am preparing my clothes for the audience— q uitte d les 
rem bailer [at the risk of having to pack them again]— and having 
my hair cut. 


October 18, 1898, 
eight o'clock in the evening, at the hotel 

After the audience with the Kaiser, which I will enter tomor- 
row en route. 

I had arranged with the Kaiser and with Biilow that this very 
evening I would submit the draft of my address in Palestine. 

Draft: 

Your Imperial and Royal Majesty! 

Most Gracious Kaiser and Lord! 

With deepest reverence a delegation of sons of Israel ap- 
proaches the German Kaiser in the country which was our fathers* 
and no longer belongs to us. We are bound to this sacred toil 
through no valid title of ownership. Many generations have 
come and gone since this earth was Jewish. If we talk about it, it 
is only as about a dream of very ancient days. But the dream is 
still alive, lives in many hundreds of thousands of hearts; it was 
and is a wonderful comfort in many an hour of pain for our 
poor people. Whenever foes oppressed us with accusations and 
persecutions, whenever we were liegrudged the little bit of right 
to live, whenever we were excluded from the society of our fellow 
citizens — whose destinies we have always been ready to share 
wj^lly — the thought of Zion arose in our oppressed hearts. 

There is something eternal about that thought, whose form, 
*0 be sure, has undergone multifarious changes with people, 
institutions, and times. 

Thus the Zionist movement of today is a fully modern one. 
h grows out of the situations and conditions of present-day life, 
*nd aims at solving the Jewish Question on the basis of the pos- 
sibilities of our time. Indeed, we believe that we may finally 



720 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.R7.L 

succeed now, because mankind has grown so rich in means of 
communication and technical achievements. Enterprises that 
would have seemed fantastic as recently as half a century ago 
are commonplace today. Steam power and electricity have altered 
the face of the earth. Humane conclusions should be drawn from 
this as well. 

Above all, we have aroused the national consciousness of our 
scattered brethren. At the Congresses of Basel the program of 
our movement was formulated before all the world. It is: I he 
creation, under public law, of a home for the Jewish people. 

This is the land of our fathers, a land suitable for colonization 
and cultivation. Your Majesty has seen the country. It cries out 
for people to work it. And we have among our brethren a fright- 
ful proletariat. These people cry out for a land to cultivate. Now 
we should like to create a new welfare out of these states of dis- 
tress — of the land and of the people — by the systematic combina- 
tion of both. We consider our cause so fine, so worthy of the sym- 
pathy of the most magnanimous minds, that we are requesting 
Your Imperial Majesty’s exalted aid for the project. 

But we would not venture to do so if out plan contained any- 
thing that could offend or encroach upon the ruler of this land. 
Your Imperial Majesty's friendship with His Majesty the Sultan 
is so well known that there can be no doubt as to the intentions 
of those who are turning to Your Majesty for the most gracious 
transmission of their desires. 

We are honestly convinced that the implementation of the 
Zionist plan must mean welfare for Turkey as well. Energies 
and material resources will lie brought to the country; a mag- 
nificent fructification of desolate areas may easily be foreseen: 
and from all this there will arise more happiness and more cul- 
ture for many human beings. 

Wc are planning to establish a Jewish I and-Company for 
Syria and Palestine, which is to undertake the gTeat projec t, and 
request the protection of the German Kaiser for this company. 

Our idea offends no one’s rights or religious feelings; it 
breathes long-desired reconciliation. We understand and respect 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 721 

the devotion of all faiths to the soil on which, after all, the faith 
of our fathers, too, arose. 


Oct. 19 , ’98 

On board the "Imperator Nicholas II" 

(This is as far as I got. for it was already 8:45 and we had to 
hurry to the harbor to embark for Smyrna-Alexandria. There- 
fore, in all haste, I wrote at the end that I would add the conclu- 
sion in Palestine.) 

I accompanied the draft for the address with (roughly) the 
following letter to Bulow: 


Your Excellency: 

I beg to enclose herewith the draft for my address to His 
Majesty. I have spent a very had night with all sons of pains in 
my hean and am vinually incapacitated for work. I shall append 
the conclusion later. I am leaving at ten o’clock, shall be at 
Smyrna on Thursday morning, at Piraeus on Friday, at Alex- 
andria on Sunday, Port Said on Tuesday, Jaffa on Wednesday. 
Any messages should kindly be sent via the I>egation of the city 
concerned, where I shall call immediately if a line is left at 
Thomas Cook’s Office. Above all, I request most respectfully 
that word be sent me at Alexandria as to when and where the 
deputation is to present itself to His Majesty, and also as to 
whether Palestinian Zionists are to be added to the deputation 
(which consists of five European Zionists). I would have to know 
this at early as Alexandria, in order to make the necessary ar- 
rangements 

If the proposed draft of my address is not satisfactory, I shall 
"rake the desired corrections in Palestine. 

®*TRing Your Excellency to accept the expression of my deep- 
est respect, I am 


Very sincerely yours. 
Dr Th H. 


722 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZL 

October 19, 

3 o'clock in the afternoon 

On board the "Imperator Nicholas II” in the Sea of Marmara. 

Only now do I have a chance to record the events of yesterday. 
1 am sure some of them have already escaped me. The long-pre- 
pared conference with the Kaiser did find me a bit nervous. I 
can remember all the little things about it better than the sub- 
stance of it. It is like a photograph taken with an unsteady hand. 
The picture is bound to be a bit blurred. Above all. I don’t quite 
clearly remember the course of the conversation. The Kaiser, to 
be sure, made a deep and strong impression on me. Afterwards 
I tried to capture this impression in the form of a metaphor and 
could only hit upon the following: I felt as though I had en- 
tered the magic forest where the fabulous unicorn is said to 
dwell. Suddenly there stood before me a magnificent woodland 
creature, with a single horn on its forehead. But its form sur- 
prised me less than the fact that it existed. I had previously im- 
agined the appearance, but not the breath and life of this crea- 
ture. And my astonishment grew when the one homed creature 
began to speak in a very friendly human voice and said, "I am 
the fabled unicorn!” 

This is how the day went yesterday. 

Having laid out my frock-coat, etc., so as to be ready in a jiffy 
when the call came, I went to lunch, but ate and drank little, 
so as to be alert and brisk when the expected moment ar- 
rived. Wolffsohn came back from Yildiz Kiosk at half past 
twelve. He had done brilliantly. Without knowing the lan- 
guages, without cither Turkish or French, he as well as Danusso 
and the dragoman of their carriage had got through the guards 
of Yildiz Kiosk and reached the quarters of Court-Marshal Eulen- 
burg. He had sent the latter his card, on which he had written: 
“Of Dr. Herzl’s party.” Eulrnhtirg came out at once, called him 
inside, closed the outer and the inner doors after looking around 
carefully, and took my two letters. 

“It’s a good thing that you are here already. I shall immedi- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 723 

ately P vf to H** Majesty. . . . How long has Dr. 

Herzl been here?” 

Wolffsohn replied: "For a few days.” 

Eulenburg noticed that he was holding another letter in his 
hand. ‘Have you anything else? I might transmit that also.” 
Wolffsohn: “It is a letter to His Excellency von Bulow.” 
Eulenburg quickly returned it: "Deliver this one yourselL” 
He saw him to the door and out, and then turned him over to 
an adjutant who conducted him to Biilow’s door. Billow came 
out grumpily, took the envelope, tore it open, and shouted at 
him: "That will be all.” 

Wolffsohn said: “Good-bye, Your Excellency." 

BOlow snapped: “Good-bye!” And disappeared. 


• • • 


After Wolffsnhn’s report— confirming Billow’s animosity and 
Eulenburg* friendly attitude, which I had already divined— I 
waited with greater certainty for a word from the Kaiser. 

After lunch I tried to take a siesta, but sleep wouldn’t come. 
Then 1 chatted a bit with Wolffvihn and the others. 

Suddenly, at a quarter past three, the hotel clerk came in 
excitedly: “There is someone downstairs with something for 
Dr. Herzl from His Majesty.” 

I slipped into my grey frock-coat, and the gentlemen left the 
drawing-room. But it was only a messenger or a secret -service 
®an. who presented me with a slip of paper which read: 

“Theodor Herzl to report at 4:30 to His Majesty. Yildiz.” 

I pencilled a receipt on the slip: “Dr. Hers!, received at 3:15-” 
The gentlemen were quite excited. I was conscious of no 
■>°ck, but | had been considerably unnerved even before that. 
* P't Seidener my hand for him to feel that it was quite steady, 
***ked Schnirer merely to feel my pulse. He found it to be 108, 
*J»ich is very fast for me. But I believe it had been that fast even 
7** 1 received the message. Schnirer asked me whether I 
10 ^ke some bromine. I inquired when it would produce 


724 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.R7.L 

an effect. In half an hour. So I did without it, because by then it 
might not be necessary any more. 

Careful toilette. The color of my gloves was particularly be- 
coming: a delicate grey. 

I had Wolffvihn accompany me. and installed a dragoman 
(a sly-looking Jew who appears to have police connections) on 
the coach-box. Wolffsohn uxik along a clothes brush. 

VVe drove through the bedecked streets of Pera. A lane of 
curiosity-seekers. All the windows occupied. Our carriage, too, 
attracted quite a bit of attention, but it still could not arouse as 
much interest as the imposing state-coaches with courtiers in 
gala dress and gold-braided officers. Yet I thought to myself that 
perhaps none of these coaches-of-state was carrying so much world 
history through the streets as the ordinary ha< kncy cab of my 
arabaji. 

In front of the German Embassy the crowd was denser. The 
Kaiser's escort was waiting there, his flag was flying from the 
roof and his carriage was standing in the driveway. So I would be 
reaching Yildiz before him. In order not to arrive too early, I 
had my driver stop for a few minutes near Dolma Bagjeh. Mar- 
velous colors on the Bos|x>rus. Off shore lay the trim yai hi "Ho- 
henzollem." 

At 4:15 we passed through the upper gate of Yildiz Kiosk. 'I he 
Jewish dragoman had to remain behind. A gate-keeper took the 
seat next to our arabaji, and we drove into the gardens of 
Yildiz. These grounds are. I believe, permanently off-limits to 
the public. We went on for five or six minutes. Magnificently 
large, although not particularly well-kept grounds. On our left, 
a very high mysterious wall — behind it the flowers of the harem 
bloom and fade. 

At five minutes before 4:30 we drove up in front of the new 
little palace, built especially for the Kaiser. Gnm-looking soldiers 
outside the gate. On the stairs and in the halls, an immense num- 
ber of Turkish and German servants, along with much-be- 
ribboned officers and Turkish courtiers. 

None of the German court tieople was there. They were all 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 725 

itill at the Embassy. Rather unnoticed. 1 withdrew into a coni- 
dor. I looked so insignific ant that the German footmen conversed 
quite unconst rained I y right next to me. They cracked their 
lackey jokes. When I came in, I had told the functionaries only 
that I wished to see Court-Marshal Eulenburg. They had told me 
to wait. At a quarter to five 1 grew anxious: was there not some 
mistake — or even a bit of hidden malice? Perhaps I had been 
given the Kaiser s message incorrectly: 1 should have been at the 
Embassy at four-thirty, as I had offered to be in my letter. Who 
knoxs. perhaps the Kaiser was superstitious, and if the appoint- 
ment fell through, maybe he would no longer want to have any- 
thing to do with me. 

In my concern I turned to the Turkish adjutants. All they knew 
was that the Kaiser was expected. After leaving the Embassy he 
was first scheduled to visit the German school. 

The only result of my inquiry was that I was invited to enicT 
one of the ground-floor reception rooms — which, however. I 
could not leave again. It seemed to me as though I heard my 
name repeated by the officers in the main corridor, and I had the 
impression of being closely watched . . . Once Wolffsohn passed 
by the doorway, but didn't see me. lister he told me that some- 
one had come up to his carriage and asked him if he was here 
with Dr. Herd of the \eue Frete Preue; then four people had 
ttood around his carriage and kept guard over him until our 
departure. When the Kaiser amved and Wolffsohn left the car- 
nage and took off his hat. someone crept up from behind and 
peeked inside his top hat — to make sure there was no bomb in it. 

Meanwhile, 1 kept growing more and more uncomfortable 
in my talon, which had bet omr a guard room. I had already given 
u pihe audience as lost. Then, at 5: 15. a stir. The guard of honor 
°ui*ide the building came to attention. Cavalry men hose into 
8 ^ 1 11 ‘he foot of the steep, winding road. Behind the horsemen, 
die Kaiser t carriage: at his side, the Empress. 

* was not sony that the windows of my room gave no view of 
d>e splendor of this procession. It might have made me more self- 
GXttciou* I wanted to step out into the hall— but some flunkey 


726 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

blocked my path and with an unmistakable gesture motioned 
me back into the room. 

At this point there is a blank. I believe I told someone to in- 
form Count Eulenburg at once that I was here. Five minutes later 
I was called. An elderly gentleman stepped up to me in the hall. 

“Dr. Herzl?" he asked. 

“His Excellency, Count Eulenburg?” I asked. 

He gave me his hand and pointed to the stairs leading to the 
upper floor. I think he also said, “You will go with Herr von 
Billow to His Majesty!” 

I went up the stairs rather calmly. At the top there stood, most 
splendidly, the aide-de-camp on duty, a gentleman of Prussian 
elegance, who watched my ascent I'ocil narquois [with a quizzical 
expression]. Still, he seemed to be satisfied with my coat, the 
crease of my trousers, and my patent-leather shoes, for when I 
mentioned my name, he clicked his heels: 

“Count von Kessell” and gave me his hand. Somewhat fatu- 
ously, I repeated: 

“Dr. Herzll” Whereat he flashed a brief smile of superiority. 

I now stood at the head of the staircase. Count Kessel was 
staring intently over my shoulder; so somebody worthy of notice 
must have been standing behind me. However, I did not turn 
around. Presently that somebody came round the comer, so that 
by half glancing to the right I was able to sec who it was. 

A white dress — the Empress! She had been standing with 
Uiilow behind a column and had watched me ascending the stairs. 
I bowed, she gave a slight acknowledgment and disappeared. 

Count Kessel stood at the center door, opened it a little, looked 
in, and spoke to someone. Then he motioned to me and held the 
door open. 

I walked in briskly. The Kaiser, in a dark Hussar uniform, 
approached me. I stood still and made a deep bow. He then 
came up to me, almost as far as the door, and gave me his hand. 
I believe he said he was very pleased — or something of the sort 

— to meet me. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 727 

I said: “Your Imperial Majesty. 1 am very happy about this dis- 
tinction.'' 

He then went back around the table, moved an armchair in 
place for me, made a gesture of invitation with his hand, and 
seated himself with his back to the writing table, crossing his 
legs with the Hussar boots, like someone who is making himself 
comfortable for a lengthy conversation. Billow had entered be- 
hind me. and we sat down together. Like myself, he held his 
top-hat between his knees throughout the audience. I forgot to 
take off my right glove, as etiquette would have required. 

While waiting I had been a bit uneasy as to whether my 
morning-coat was appropriate or whether tails would not have 
been correct. Billow's morning-coat reassured me. 

When I had come in, the Kaiser had looked at me grandly with 
his great sea blue eyes. He has truly Imperial eyes. I have never 
seen such eyes. A remarkable, bold, inquisitive soul shows in 
them However, he obviously is not indifferent to the impression 
he makes on others, particularly the first impression. He is ex- 
actly as tall as I am, and my first impression was that he is 
embarrassed about his withered arm. And that he thinks to him- 
lelf: You. who are coming from the outside, from a world that 
knows me only from pictures or merely sees me rush past in the 
whirl of splendid royal parades — aren't you disappointed at 
»eeing before you a Kaiser who has one arm shorter than all 
other men? 

Accordingly. I kept my ga/c on his fine, frank, genial and yet 
bold eyes, which fairly bewitched me. 

I had expected that he would begin with a stream of con vena- 

,Ion * an< l ‘bus hadn't fully recovered my breath when he invited 

mf to speak. 

Where shall I begin. Your Imperial Majesty?” 

Wherever you like,*' he said, a bit ironically, and leaned back. 
J**} rf P«tcd the substance of the letter I had sent him yrster- 
®T« in a rather shaky voice and with my heart pounding against 

Hbs. It annoyed me to think that the unsympathetic Bulow 


728 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

was surely watching my embarrassment with amusement. Still, 

I didn't say anything stupid. My uneasiness lay only in my tone. 
But when I had propounded the matter of the land company 
and the German protectorate, the Kaiser nodded quickly and 
contentedly, as is his wont — more with his eyes than with his 
head. It is most characteristic. He looks at you squarely and 
strongly— the Kaiser!— and when a remark or turn of phrase 
appeals to him, his magnificent eyes, with his lips tightly < losed, 
say: I got you — you’re my man — that’s fine with me. 

There are innumerable portraits of him, but because this 
approving glance, a most original, powerful flash, cannot be 
painted, people don’t know what his eyes are like. 

He soon took over the conversation and explained to me why 
the Zionist movement appealed to him. Unfortunately I was a 
preoccupied listener and, beside*, had to concentrate all my 
energies on preparing my replies, so that not all the details have 
stuck in my mind. He always referred to the Jews as ‘your 
people” — and in a tone that was not exactly friendly. He did 
not doubt that with the financial and human resources at our 
disposal we would succeed in carrying out the colonization of 
Palestine. While he said this I was a little inattentive, since I 
had to make a mental note of the effectiveness of my three yean 
work in making the obscure word “Zionism” a terrne refU [house- 
hold word], one that the German Kaiser used readily in talking 
to me. 

“There are elements,” he said, “among your people whom it 
would be quite a good thing to settle in Palestine. I am thinking 
of Hesse, for example, where there are usurers at work among 
the rural population. If these people took their possessions and 
went to settle in the colonies, they could Ik - more useful.” (\ his 
was roughly the sense of his remarks.) 

That he should identify the Jews with a few usurers annoyed 
me; and suddenly my irritation restored my composure, and 
I made a brief speech attacking anti-Semitism which, I said, had 
stabbed the rest of us right to the heart. We had been deeply 
hurt. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 729 

Biilow noticed that 1 was making an attack, and parried my 
thrusts. He said that the Jews had recently shown themselves un- 
pateful to the House of Hohenzollem, to which, after all, they 
owed a great deal. The Kaiser's grandfather and father, and His 
Majesty himself had always shown themselves gracious toward 
the Jews, and now the Jews were to be seen among all the opposi- 
tion parties, even the anti-monarchical ones. 

“Singer!” tnumi ured the Kaiser, who had been listening to 
Bulow with an expression of approval. Bulow hinted that the 
Kaiser felt offended. 

I explained that we were taking the Jews away from the revo- 
lutionary parties. 

The Kaiser remarked that he thought the Jews would support 
the colonization of Palestine if they knew that he was keeping 
them under his protection, and that therefore they would not 
really be leaving Germany. 

Billow added: “And let us hope that they would be grateful 
for it!” But he called my attention to the fact that the rich Jews 
were not in fas or of my ideas. "The big newspapers are not for 
it either, particularly your own. You should certainly try to win 
over one or another of the great papers.” 

I said: Your Excellency, this is a mere matter of money. As 
a man of letters. I regret having to say this." 

Btilow s point in raising this objection was, by the way, un- 
mistakable. He wanted to indicate to the Kaiser that I had no 
power behind me Billow said everything in opposition, with the 
eiception of the little word No. which he obviously does not dare 
to say. since the voluntas regis [royal will] is Yes. Bulow says, 

“W* 11 . . . r "Yes. but . . . .* "Yes. if only. . . All 

*»krd No‘s. 

^ Hotrtv ni | felt my argument strengthened as the Kaiser visi- 
*upportrd me with nods and glances. 

Presently I came to the favorable feature of the moment, the 
®* fTn »l weakness of France. 

A* this point the Kaiser took over w ith verve. 

I read in the Seue Freie Pi me today about the projected 


730 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

coup d’etat. You know the conditions. What do you think ot 
Prince Napoleon’s chances!” 

“Your Majesty, I believe he has none. I he country does not 
know him." 

“But it does,” interjected Biilow, he is a Russian ofheer. 

I rejoined: “Yes, but Russian prestige has declined greatly 

since the disarmament proposal. 

The Kaiser laughed with his eyes— almost audibly, 1 am 

tempted to say. 

“They have calculated,” I added, "that the conversations of 
Kronstadt and Toulon have cost them eight billions. 

The Kaiser now laughed aloud. "That’s a lot. A crazy people, 
anyway. How hard I’ve tried to put some sense into them. All 
in vain. Now I’ve finally given it up. There is no helping those 
people. The only thing they see is the Gap in the \ osges. He 
clenched his right fist and imitated the theratening gesture of the 
French in the direction of the Vosges. Then he shrugged his 
shoulders. 

I remarked that the army had suffered greatly because of the 
latest Dreyfus incidents. And suddenly we were en pleine affaire 
Dreyfus [deep in the Dreyfus affair]. The Kaiser — I think to 
Bulow’s mild horror — spoke frankly and freely about the Affair. 
I advanced no opinion one way or the other; but soon it became 
completely clear that they considered Dreyful innocent! It was 
something absolutely colossal. 

“What kind of people are they," cried the Kaiser. "Do they 
really think I am crazy enough to write such letters to anybody 
at all? Hanotaux put *7,000 francs on the table for those forger- 
ies. They were offered to him, and he, the Richelieu, the great 
statesman, thought they were genuine — or pretended he did. 
Why, it’s incredible! The matter got about through Princess 
Mathilde. Hanotaux declared in her salon, before a gathering of 
army people, that he had letters from me in his possession. Of 
course, she immediately saw the impossibility of it and told him 
so.” 

At this point my recollection is uncertain. If I am not mis- 


XHE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 731 

oken. the Kaiser said: “And then she bounced him out.** This, 
uany rate, was the sense of his words. 

Biilow said: "The mendacity of these people is remarkable. 
Didn't one of their ministers declare that Dreyfus' innocence was 
known to the government? 1 forget which one it was." 

“Viger,” said the Kaiser. “This old red radical Brisson, aston- 
idiingly enough, is the only honest man left among them; he 
wants to bring out the truth." 

I told about Bourgeois, the master mind of the Cabinet, who 
let Cavaignac run upon the sword that was held in front of him. 

Apin the Kaiser laughed with his eyes and said: ‘The other 
day I was with a number of my colleagues . . (I think he 
aid: in Vienna, at the funeral of the Empress. 1 didn’t immedi- 
ately understand whom he meant by "colleagues" until he con- 
tinued ) ‘The King of Rumania told me something he had 
found out in a roundabout way from a French officer. Namely, 
that embezzlements are at the bottom of the whole business. For 
a long time now, the French General Staff’s secret funds have 
been stolen. Captain Dreyfus, too, was offered *0.000 francs. 
He would not take it and said: 1 don’t need the *0,000 francs. 
What am I supposed to do with *0,000 francs? So they had to 
get rid of him, since he knew what was up. And this is why 
Eaerha/y and Du Paty de Clam were kept. More and more offi- 
cers who had taken money became implicated, and now they 
•re dsielding one another ... I often wonder what is to become 
of that country. It is valuable, after all. The French spirit con- 
ttitutes the spice, the pepper, for the other cultures the Attic 
nit. Of course, too much peppeT is no good. But what i* going 
to happen to France?" 

"Your Majesty, I think that it will crumble from within. I 
■id. **It is fine indeed in literature and art*, and it is the refine- 
“rat of decadence. That the French are seeking a war I do not 
Wiese. The ruling class has the greatest interest in not wanting 

• war." 

“Yes." said Bttlow, “a war would remove them in any case, the 



732 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

present republicans. Victory like defeat would bring a mon- 
archy.” 

With this truism • 1 agreed, of course. 

The Kaiser said: "From all appearances in France it docs seem 
to follow that a republic is not the best conceivable form of gov- 
ernment.” 

I spoke about the present parliament in the vein of my treat- 
ment of it in The Palais Bourbon, and asked the Kaiser whether 
I might send him this book. 

He said yes with his large eyes. 

Then he said: “I also think that they will keep quiet, if only 
because of the Exposition. That is when they want to get money 
from everybody.” 

‘‘A real Frenchie,” I said, "can't stand a German, but he gladly 
takes his cash.” 

“They won't get to see mine," said — I think — the Kaiser; but 
perhaps it was Biilow. I think, but am not sure, that this answer 
was given. Nor do I know in what connection I answered the 
Kaiser s question about the coming development of F rance as 
follows: 

“People will always go to France in order to have a good time.” 

Billow interjected jokingly: 

^ es, caf£s and Beisel [joints], as they call them in Vienna.” 

Now and then the Kaiser glanced at his watch, which he wears 
strapped to the wrist of his short left arm. To think how much 
these Imperial minutes are worth, espec tally on such a day, the 
first day of his visit to Constantinople! 

The conversation flagged for a moment after this French inter- 
lude. I used the pause to get back to our muttons: 

And that is why France cannot offer any objections to our 
project. And for Russia it also meant a solution, etc. — the 
familiar points. 

I he Kaiser said with a touch of humor, in which, however, 

there was only free-and-easy sympathy and certainly not heart- 
lessness: 

# In Englith in original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 733 

"Yes, your people have had a pretty bad time of it in Russia 
during the past couple of hundred years.” 

"Pretty bad” was what he really meant; the expression he 
ironically used said just the opposite. But this phrase, too, has 
escaped me. 

1 then proceeded, and unfolded the entire plan before him, 
accompanied by his nods. I believe I presented all the argu- 
ments: Russia’s Siberian railroad, a Pandora's box with untold 
ills for Europe; the shortest line to India* etc. Everything, 
everything He listened to me magnificently, at times with visible 
strain and effort when I touched upon the complicated forms of 
the loans we could arrange for Turkey. Finally I said: 

"I don't know — maybe I'm extremely stubborn about it, 
but the thing seems completely natural to me!" 

He looked at me grandly: "To me. too!” 

Billow interposed: “Yes, if only the people here are willing; 
perhaps the Ministers ought to lie . . With his thumb and 
index finger he made the gesture of counting out money. "Well, 
here they all take.” 

The Kaiser rejected this with a light movement of his hand and 
said: 

"But surely it will make an impression if the German Kaiser 
concerns himself with it and shows an interest in it." 

fit was then that I had the magic-forest sensation of encounter- 
ing the fabulous unicorn which said with a human voice. "I am 
the fabled unicorn.”) 

The Kaiser continued: "After all. I am the only one who still 
sticks by the Sultan. He puts stock in me.” 

He had glanced at his watch again and arose. But when he saw 
that I had something to say, he asked: "You have another ques- 
tion?" 

Already on my feet, I brought up the specific questions about 
the audience in Palestine, my address, etc. 

The Kaiser said: "Write out your address and give it to Btilow. 

* In Englith In originsl 


734 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Then I shall go over it carefully with him. . . .Just tell me in 
a word what I am to ask of the Sultan.” 

“A Chartered Company * — under German protection.” 
“Good! A Chartered Company!” And he grandly gave me hii 
hand, which is strong enough for two, squeezed mine good and 
hard, and went out first through the center door. 

Outside stood Count von Kessel. 

• • • 


Insert: 

At an earlier point in the conversation — 1 believe, after we had 
mentioned the distressing situation of the Jews in the East, the 
Kaiser said: 

"But things will probably get worst of all in France. In that 
country anti-Semitism is likely to become strongest. For there the 
Church is behind it, and the Jesuits won't let go once they start 
a thing like that. Herr von Rothschild seems to know this too, 
for he is having his art collection shipped to London.” 

• • • 

After the Kaiser had left the salon, I went out with Biilow. 
He gazed after the Kaiser who was striding with an clastic step 
down the corridor with Kessel, and said to me: “That is a mon- 
arch of genius!" 

Then wc descended the stairs together, and Biilow said eagerly: 
"You must see Marschall and talk things over with him. Let him 
give you exact information. I think the Turks arc now unfavor- 
ably disposed.” 

I naturally promised him to go to Marschall at once and not 
to write my Address until afterward; but I thought to myself that 
he was not giving me this advice out of benevolence. Actually, 
I don't want to lie unjust, not even to the unfriendly Biilow. 
He has very great responsibilities and would pay for it if mat- 
ters went wrong. Under the Constitution, it is he who will have 


* In English in original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 735 

to endorse the project; hence he is not merely entitled but even 
obligated to observe extreme caution. 

The courtiers and officers, and especially the lackeys, were as- 
tonished when they saw the previously disregarded, unknown 
Jew in civilian clothes come down the stairs — after a private one- 
hour audience with the Kaiser — in the company of the Minister 
of State and engaged in animated conversation with him. with 
Biilow whispering along in easy familiarity. I finally arranged 
with Biilow that immediately after my conversation with Mar- 
ichall I would prepare my Address and send it to him. 

Then I left. The colorful cluster of Turkish officers gave me 
none too friendly looks. In bet. unless my hasty look as I went 
out deceived me, in the glances of some of them I saw ha- 
tred — or was it envy? Did they already know, had they already 
guessed, what my business was with the Kaiser? Or were their 
senile souls piqued at the conspicuous distinction I had been 
accorded? 

I stepped into my carriage, where Wolfftohn had been waiting 
in the greatest agitation, and we drove off through the Yildiz 
gardens. I only told this good fellow briefly that the audience had 
been fine and that we would be received in Palestine. For after 
Marschall’s negative behavior we had begun to doubt it, and 
had not even bought our steamship tickets for Alexandria. 

As we drove out through the Yildiz gate, the festive illumina- 
tion of the city had already started. An exquisite sight, for which, 
however, we lacked the proper attentiveness. We were too ex- 
cited. 

First I drove to the German Embassy. As I had expected. Mar- 
•chall was no longer there, having gone to Yildiz for the gab 
dinner. All along the road, in fact, we had been passing guests 
on their way to the affair. I gave the Embassy clerk my card, with 
* comer folded down. 

Schnirer. Seidener, and Bodenheimer were waiting at the 
Hotel dc Londres, themselves greatly excited. Since Danutso 
was also present, I called them into the next room, gave them a 
tumm.iry account, and asked them to take the fat Italian down 


736 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

to the dining-hall with them. I was quite exhausted from the 
great psychic strain, and still had to compose that difficult and 
important Address. I had some tea, but still didn't pull myself 
together enough to finish the speech. 

I kept trying until eleven o’clock, while Wolffsohn was packing 
my trunks for me. Then I sought to make myself sleepy by drink- 
ing a bottle of Bavarian beer, and I did sleep until four o’clock in 
the morning. Then I got up, lit all twelve randies in my bed- 
room, wrote for half an hour, and then went back to bed, ex- 
hausted. At six o’clock I got up again and finished as much of 
the Address as I could by half-past eight, when I sent it off to 
Billow, with a covering letter, by the German post. 

In the meantime, Wolffsohn had "managed” our departure. 
All I needed to do was drive to the harbor and board the ship. 

Glorious sunshine at the harbor of Constantinople. I also ex- 
perienced a certain sense of relief when I felt the deck of this 
Russian ship under my feet. For I did not, and up to this time 
do not, know how the Turks will regard the matter, which has 
now become something to take seriously. On approaching Smyrna 
I even thought it possible that the local Turkish authorities, in- 
formed of my presence, would bestow their more or less benevo- 
lent attention upon me. Even now, on October 21, out on the 
Aegean Sea, I am still quite uncertain as to what may be in store 
for us. Yesterday at Smyrna I sent for the local newspapers to 
learn whether the news agencies had reported on my audience. 
I wasn’t able to find anything. 

That my audience cannot long remain secret and that the 
diplomatic world is in a great uproar over it by now I think I 
may assume without delusions of grandeur. Enfin, nous verrom 
[Anyway, we shall see). 

At any rate, today I already constitute a troublesome pervinage 
to many a party interested in the Holy I .and, and I don’t know 
whether some plot is not being hatched against me in Palestine. 
From what quarter? I can’t even make the most far-fetched guess. 

But I am not telling these anxieties of mine even to my travel- 
ling companions. I am obviously approaching the climax of my 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 737 

tragic enterprise. If the expedition to Palestine is successful, the 
very hardest part of it will be done. Everything else will then be 
simply a matter of execution, vunething which can be accom- 
plished by others, too. 

The days I am now living through are critical days of the first 
order. Only when I am again on a ship headed for the Italian 
coast will I have the feeling that this new ride across Lake Con- 
stance is behind me. 


• • • 

I have written down these recollections of the great day, Oc- 
tober 18. on shipboard on the 19th, 20th, and 21st. I do feel now 
that I have set down all the most important things, and that the 
day with the Kaiser has been preserved for posterity, to whom it 

belongs. 


October 21 

One more recollection. Most of the time the Kaiser looked me 
full in the face. Only when I spoke of the new overland route to 
Asia — Mediterranean, Persian Gulf— did he stare into space as 
though lost in thought, and the thoughtful expression on his 
fine, serious face revealed to me that I had fully gripped him. 

October 27, Rishon-le-Zion, 6:00 a.m. 

No entries were made during those sunny days at sea. They 
were halcyon days. Everything worth noting moved past my un- 
clouded spirit without leaving any traces. And yet there were 
noteworthy things: the ship that took us to Alexandria, that 
floating cosmopolitan city which contained all sorts of things, 
from a cattle market to a Frenth salon; Smyrna, picturesque 
filth and varia mtieria, assorted misery in red. yellow, blue col- 
ors; Jews — .Ashkenazim and Sephardim — from all over the world. 
raJt up in this Asia Minor town. And once again over the wine- 
colored sea, past the epic isles of the Greeks, to the Piraeus, 
which was a disappointment. Up through the dust to the Acrop- 


738 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

olis, which likewise says so much to us only because classical lit- 
erature is so powerful. The power of the word! Then raicd 
through Athens in a matter of minutes, but that seemed enough 
for this modern city. 

Evenings on shipboard, long talks with the French writer Ren6 
Bazin. My judgment of the French was not a gentle one. I told 
him, among other things, that a powerful literature can also 
disseminate weak ideas throughout the world. On the other 
hand, powerful ideas (such as the > 8th century ideas about re- 
forming the state) can also spread a feeble literature all over the 
world. But present-day France, I said, has neither great ideas nor 
great writing. 

The Frenchmen Bazin, I.amy, Mille, etc., took down their im- 
pressions throughout the voyage. I did not. Now I am sorry I 
didn’t; but the soul, too, must have its fallow season in order to 
become fertile again. And I have so many projects ahead of me 
that I can forgive myself for not making a literary harvest from 
my joumey. 

Hot days in Alexandria and Port Said. Alexandria shows how 
a clever European administration can draw a habitable, comfort- 
able city even out of the hottest soil. 

At Port Said I greatly admired the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal, 
that shimmering thread of water stretching away toward infinity, 
impressed me much more than the Acropolis. Human lives and 
money, it is true, were taken and squandered on the Suez Canal, 
but yet one must admire the colossal will that executed this sim- 
ple idea of digging away the sands. In Panama this will had 
grown senile; this, and not the natural obstacles, evidently 
wrecked that second project. 

I he last two nights of our voyage, which we spent on a smaller 
vessel, the “Russia" (sailing from Alexandria), it was unbearably 
hot in the cabin which the five of us shared. I was up on deck 
by three o'clock in the morning. The last night I even slept d Ui 
belle tloile [under the open sky] from midnight on. At night 
and in the morning the sea was wonderfully still and shimmered 
in variegation. When it grew light, we began to peer toward the 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 739 

Jewish coast. Toward seven o'clock the first bit of land, two dots 
of mountains on the right, was sighted by Wolffsohn. We ap- 
proached the land of our fathers with mixed feelings. Strange 
what emotions this desolate country stirs up in most people: in 
die old German pastor from South Africa, in the Russian muzhik 
in the foul-smelling steerage, in the Arabs who have been trav- 
eling with us from Constantinople, in us Zionists, in the poor 
Rumanian Jewess who wants to join her sick daughter in Ye- 
rusholayim and who has reason to fear that she will be turned 
back on account of her Rumanian passport. Incidentally, our 
companion Seidener is in the same situation with his Russian 
passport. 

Thus the landing shaped up as rather uncomfortable, when 
Jaffa hose in sight. In any case, I had made my plans for the 
eventuality that the Turkish port authorities refused to let us 
pass. I drafted a telegram to the Kaiser informing him of the 
trouble that was being made for us. But it turned out differently. 
When we were on the big Cook landing lioat. which I had asked 
the Rumanian woman to board also, 1 learned that German 
police would be at the pier. I jumped ashore, and while the 
Turkish police were snooping about our tezkeiehs, I took the 
German official aside and told him that we were here on the 
Kaiser’s orders; the five white cork-helmets should be allowed to 
pass through at once. This was done. I turned the Rumanian 
woman over to Mme. Gaulis, the wife of a French journalist, who 
was sitting in the next boat; she was to pass off the Rumanian 
as her servant. Mme. Gaulis did so, the poor old soul clung to the 
Frenchwoman’s skirt and thus slipped through the cordon — so 
happy at being in Palestine where she was going to visit her 
mortally ill daughter. What forms happiness takes! 

And we were in Jaffa! 

Again poverty and misery and heat in gay colors. 

Confusion in the streets, at the hotel, not a carriage to be had. 
I was already on a horse, to ride to Rishon, but dismounted again 
when Dr. Joffe procured us a conveyance. 

We drove — in the terrible heat — first to Mikveh Israel. This 


740 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

is an excellent school of agriculture. Bunting over the gate in 
honor of the Kaiser, who will pass by here tomorrow on his way 
to Jerusalem. I will try to persuade him to visit the institution. 

From Mikveh, through the countryside neglected in Arab 
fashion to the much-praised Rishon-le-Zion. For a poor village 
this is a fairly prosperous place. But if one has imagined it as 
more than a poor settlement, one is disappointed. Thick dust on 
the roads, a bit of gTecnery. 

The administrator received us with a frightened air, obviously 
dared to be neither amiable nor unamiable. Fear of Monsieur 
le Baron hovers over everything. The poor colonists have swapped 
one fear for another. We were shown through the wine-cellars 
with elaborate ceremony. But I have never doubted that with 
money one can set up industrial establishments no matter where. 
With the millions which have been poured into the sand here 
and stolen and squandered, far different results could have been 
achieved. 

Meanwhile, news of our arrival had spread through the vil- 
lage. A deputation came to invite me to the Beth lla'am. We 
were welcomed by music which, unfortunately, was only well- 
intentioned. Again a lane of faces such as I have seen in l^mdon, 
Berlin, Briinn, everywhere. Someone made a speech in which he 
tried to harmonize their obligations toward the Baron and their 
love for me, a harmony just as impossible as the one the con- 
ductor tried to achieve between the violin and the flute. The 
big drum had to cover up everything. I also spoke a few words, 
advising them to be grateful to the Baron, although his aims 
were different from mine. 

Then I inspected the house of a colonist who had made good. 
Large rooms— habitable, anyway. But faded fares. 

Next I saw the house of some day-laborers. Wooden plank beds 
and squalor. 

Finally I spoke to the physician of the colony. Dr. Mazie. He 
gave it to me straight. Fever! All of the colonies suffer from 
ever. Only large-scale drainage operations and the elimination 
of swamps, he said, could make the country habitable. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 741 
This is also my view and intention. 

It will cost billions, but create billions of new wealth! Such 
Arabs as are immune to the fever might be used for the work. 

Jerusalem. October 29 

Conclusion of my Address to the Kaiser: 

This is the fatherland of ideas which do not belong to one 
people or to one creed alone. The farther men advance in their 
morality, the more clearly do they recognize the common ele- 
ments in these ideas. And thus the actual city of Jerusalem, with 
its fateful walls, has long since become a symbolic city sacred to 
all civilized men. 

An emperor of peace is making a gTeat entry into this eternal 
dty. We Jews gTeet Your Majesty at this exalted moment, wish- 
ing from the bottom of our hearts that an age of peace and jus- 
tice may dawn for all men. Including ourselves. 


October *9. Jerusalem 

Sent the Address to August Fulenburg with the following cov- 
ering letter: 

Your Excellency: 

I have the honor most humbly to submit the enclosed Address 
of the Zionist Deputation. I beg Your Excellency to lie kind 
enough 10 inform me. when returning the manuscript, of the 
changes desired by llis Majesty the Kaiser, or else to convey his 
gracious approval to me. I shall read it as bidden when the au- 
dience takes place. 

At the same time may I request that I kindly lie notified of 
the day and hour appointed for the reception of the deputation. 
Begging Your Excellency to accept the expression of my deep- 

*** rw pnt, I remain 

Your humble servant. 
Dr. Th. H. 


742 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

October * 9 . Jerusalem 

I must add what has happened since the day before yesterday, 
when wc left Rishon-le-Zion. We drove away from Rishon in 
the morning. About half an hour’s distance from there is the 
Jewish hamlet of Wad-el-Chanin. There we were met by the en- 
tire population; singing children; an old man presented me with 
bread, salt and wine from his own vineyard. I had to visit almost 
all the homes of the colonists. 

We drove on. A cavalcade came galloping toward us from the 
settlement of Rehovot: about twenty young fellows who put on 
a kind of fantasia, lustily singing Hebrew songs and swarming 
about our carriage. Wolffsohn, Schnirer, Bodenheimer and I 
had tears in our eyes when we saw those fleet, daring horsemen 
into whom our young trouser-salesmen can be transformed. 
Hedad! they cried, and dashed away cross-country on their little 
Arab horses. They reminded me of the Far -West* cowboys of 
the American plains whom I once saw in Paris. 

At Rehovot, an even greater demonstration; the whole village 
awaited me in rank and file. The children sang. W’ith the re- 
sources of the poor, a princely reception. 

Back in the brooding heat to Jaffa, which I reached exhausted. 
My good Hechler had arrived. I related what had happened 
since our last meeting and asked him to tell Count Eulenburg 
that I would await the Kaiser the following morning on the 
highway outside Mikveh Israel. 

Early yesterday morning I drove out to Mikveh Israel. I was 
already unwell, but with an effort managed to stay on my feet. 
The picture of the trainees at their farm implements was a 
pretty one. Among the curious the somewhat baronially arro- 
gant Rothschild administrators turned up also. I told Niego. the 
director of Mikveh, that I would introduce him to the Kaiser, 
should the latter recognize and speak to me. Niego begged me 
JJ 1,1 ' "" , '" m ,! " " 'l"s. because it might I., .■ 

Zionist demonstration and could harm him. I was there as the 


• In EnglUlt in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 743 

guest of Mikveh and therefore should not introduce him, the 
director. Actually, this was a mild reprimand, but I did not re- 
sent it from the otherwise amiable man. 

At nine o'clock a commotion on the highway, which was lined 
with a mixed multitude* of Arab beggars, womenfolk, children, 
and horsemen, heralded the approach of the Imperial procession. 
Fierce- looking Turkish cavalry came galloping toward us at full 
tilt, rifles at the ready and shooting even more threatening 
glances all around. Then the outriders of the Kaiser. And there, 
among a grey-clad group, including several ladies, the Kaiser 
himself. 

1 gave the schoolchildren’s choir of Mikveh the signal to in- 
tone “Heil Dir im Siegerkranz." •• 1 stood beside one of the 
ploughs and took off my cork-helmet. The Kaiser recognized roe 
even at a distance. It gave him a bit of start; he guided his horse 
in my direction — and pulled up in front of me. I took two 
steps forward; and when he leaned down over the neck of the 
horse and held his hand down to me, I stepped up quite close 
to his horse, stretched up my own hand, and stood before him 
with my head bared. 

He laughed and flashed his imperious eyes at me. 

"How are you?" 

‘Thanks, Your Majesty! I am having a look at the country. 
And how has the journey agreed with Your Majesty so far?" 

He blinked grandly with his eyes: 

"Very hot! But the country has a future." 

“At the moment it is still sick," I said. 

"Water is what it needs, a lot of svater!” he said from above me. 
Yes, Your Majesty! Irrigation on a large scale!" 

He repeated: "It is a land of the future!" 

Perhaps he said some other things which have escaped me, for 
Mopped with me for several minutes. Then he held down his 

**■ In the original 

^TnmUinf’i Note "Hail to iher with the rktor'i wrrath " a tong by Schu- 
5®” ,lv * Harriet (about i?au). widely tune at a royal aalute to the tune o 4 

the Ring - 7 


744 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

hand to me again, and trotted off. The Empress, too, had ridden 
forward a bit and gave me a nod and a smile. I hen the Imperial 
procession moved on to the strains of "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz’* 
from the children’s throats. 

1 noticed the Kaiser drawing himself up more proudly in the 
saddle and saluting his hymn, as, back in Breslau, he had saluted 
the statue of his grandfather. 

Among those riding behind him I recognized Court-Marshal 
Eulenburg, who greeted me affably. 

The spectators at Mikveh Israel were quite dumbfounded. A 
few of them asked who it was. They simply wouldn't believe that 
it had been the Kaiser. The Rothschild administrators looked 
timid and out-of-sorts. 

Wolffsohn, that good soul, had taken two snapshots of the 
scene. At least he thought he had. He patted his kodak proudly: 
"I wouldn't part with these negatives for ten thousand marks.” 

But when we got to the photographer's at Jaffa and had the 
negatives developed, it turned out that the first picture showed 
only a shadow of the Kaiser and my left foot; the second was 
completely spoiled. 

Then we took the train in the frightful heat to Jerusalem. 
Just the departure from the Jaffa station took an hour. Sitting 
in the cramped, crowded, scorching compartment was torture. 
While crossing the dismal, desolate countryside I developed a 
fever and grew more and more feverish and weak as we rode 
further into the Sabbath. For, because of the delayed train, and 
to Wolffsohn's extreme chagTin, we found ourselves traveling 
into the Sabbath. The moon was full when we arrived in Jeru- 
salem. I would have gladly driven the half hour's distance from 
the station to the hotel; but the gentlemen made long faces, so 
I had to resign myself to walking to the city, weak with feser 
though I was. I tottered all over the place on my cane; with my 
other arm I braced myself alternately against Wolffsohn's and 
Schub’s arm. 

In spite of my weariness, Jerusalem by moon-dust with its 




the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER/.L 745 

grand outlines made a powerful impression on me. Magnificent 
the silhouette of the fortress of /ion, the citadel of David. 

The streets were crowded with groups of Jews strolling in the 

moonlight. 

I was very sick before falling asleep. 1 took quinine and vom- 
ited after it. Then Schnirer rubbed me with spirits of camphor, 
and slept that night in my narrow little room. 

Wolffsohn was beside himself with excitement. Maybe he had 
already given me up. 

In the morning I awoke feeling better. But I’m still quite 
feeble today. It is now evening, and I have not stirred from the 
house all day. I only look out the windows and conclude that 
Jerusalem is magnificently situated. Even in its present decay it 
is a beautiful city, and, if we come here, can become one of the 
most beautiful in the world again. 

From my hotel window, this afternoon, I saw the Kaiser pass 
through the triumphal arches, first the Jewish and then the 
Turkish. He is said to have stopped a little longer at the Jews' 
arch. I haven't been to the Jewish arch, because there are two 
factions here. One wanted me to deliver the communal address 
to the Kaiser. The other apparently wished me to stay away en- 
tirely — me and my Zionism. Since, as I was informed, the Hak- 
ham Bashi of Constantinople has proposed to the Chief Rabbi 
here that I be put under the gTeat ban. I preferred not even to go 
near these carping Oriental objectors. 


October ji, Jerusalem 

When I remember thee in days to come. O Jerusalem, it will 
not be with pleasure. 

The musty deposits of two thousand years of inhumanity, in- 
tolerance, and uncleanliness lie in the foul-smelling alleys. The 
one man who has been present all this time, the amiable dreamer 
of Nazareth, has only contributed to increasing the haired. 

If we ever get Jerusalem and if I am still able to do anything 
actively at that time, I would begin by cleaning it up. 


746 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 

I would clear out everything that is not something sacred, set 
up workers’ homes outside the city, empty the nests of filth and 
tear them down, burn the secular ruins, and transfer the bazaars 
elsewhere. Then, retaining the old architectural style as much 
as possible. I would build around the Holy Places a comfortable, 
airy new city with proper sanitation. 

• • • 

Night before last the good Hechler arrived here and came to 
see me. 

I told him: “If I have anything to say at the next vacancy of 
the Jerusalem English diocese, you must become Bishop of Jeru- 
salem.’’ * 

He resisted the idea. 

I repeated: “bishop of Jerusalem!” 

• • • 

The local Jewish Community is like the rest of them. It turned 
out that the man who brought me their supposed invitation had 
lied. After leaving me he went to the communal leaders and told 
them that I would very much like to await the Kaiser tinder their 
triumphal arch. Thereupon the leaden declared that — there 
were no more available spaces. 

Yesterday the Sephardic Rabbi Meir was among the visitors 
who have been calling on me at the Marx house. He explained 
the attitude of the local Grand Rabbis to me: they don’t want to 
incur the displeasure of the Turkish government. 

Amused, I said: "In order not to cause the gentlemen any em- 
barrassment, I shall also omit paying them a visit.” 

• • • 

We have been to the Wailing Wall. A deeper emotion refuses 
to come, because that place is pervaded by a hideous, wretched, 

* In English In original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 747 

speculative beggary. At least, this is the way it was when we were 
there, yesterday evening and this morning. 


• • • 


Yesterday evening we visited the Tower of David. At the en- 
trance I said to my friends: "It would be a good idea on the Sul- 
tan’s part if he had me arrested here.” 

A touching view from the decayed battlements on the city 
melting away in evening mists. 

Earlier we had walked — rather quickly — through the Via Do- 
lorosa, because it is said to be an ill-omened place for Jews. Seide- 
ner, who used to live in this city, absolutely refused to accompany 
me. I would have considered it cowardice not to go, and so I did 
walk along the street of the Holy Sepulchre. My friends restrained 
me from entering the Church itself. It is also forbidden to set 
loot in the Mosque of Omar and the Temple area, otherwise 
one becomes subject to excommunication by the rabbis. This is 
what happened to Sir Motes Montefiore. 

How much superstition and fanaticism on every side! Yet I 
am not afraid of any of these fanatics. 


• • • 


We were in a Jewish hospital today. Misery and uncleanlinest. 
Nevertheless, for appearance’s sake. I had to testify in the suitors’ 
book to its cleanliness. This is how lies originate. 

From the gallery of an ancient synagogue we enjoyed a view 
^ Temple area, the Mount of Olives, and the whole storied 
* an< l*«pe in the morning sunshine. 

I am quite firmly convinced that a magnificent New Jerusalem 
(ould be built outside the old city walls. The old Jerusalem 
•**!! remain lourdes and Mecca and Yerusholayim. A 
?CT T pr«iy, elegant town would be quite possible beside it. 


748 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

October 31 

Today the Church of the Redeemer will be consecrated by the 
Kaiser. I avoided his procession while on our way to the city. At 
Mikveh it was good, here it would be bad, to stand in his path. 

• • • 


1:30 p.m. 

Again hours of intense, uncomfortable expectation. Since the 
night before last, when Wolffsohn delivered my letter to Count 
Eulenburg in the Imperial encampment, there has been no word 

The five of us hang around, not knowing when we are to be 
received. The Kaiser is scheduled to go to Jericho today and will 
not return until day after tomorrow. Question is whether he will 
receive us today or the day after tomorrow (the last day). In fact, 
the more faint-hearted among us are beginning to ask: will he 
receive us at all? 

Who knows what international intrigues arc now being played 
over our heads. We have no newspaper here, in two weeks no 
news of what has been happening in the world. 

• • • 

Despite this general despondency of my four friends, I just 
gave them a bit of instruction for the reception: the order in 
which they are to stand, their deportment, etc.; I also tried to 
prepare replies for the questions the Kaiser might ask. 1 told 
them to keep in mind that the Kaiser was a powerful figure, but 
still, only a human being. They should be humble, of course, 
but nevertheless remember that they were representing the re 
nowned Jewish people at a historic moment. 

1 further inquired whether their clothes, linen, neckties, gloves, 
shoes, and hats were in order. 

Then I sent off Wolffsohn to reconnoitre why we had received 
no word. He was to go to Hechler, and the latter to Eulenburg 
out in the encampment. 

And I am waiting. 

• • • 





THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 749 

Three o’clock 

Wolffsohn returns from Hechler all excited. 

Hechler told him the Kaiser was leaving tomorrow morning di- 
rect for Berlin, as gTave events were taking place. France had 
declared war on England. 

The whole thing seems incredible to me. 

Meanwhile a Russian consular official is here at the Marx 
bouse with the same rumor. 

I still believe it is a case of exaggeration or a fantastic rumor. 
Perhaps both repons come from the same source. 

Hechler also told Wolffsohn that during today's consecration 
ceremonies the Kaiser had beckoned to him twice, whereupon 
he reported for an audience. Half an hour from now he will be 
with Eulenburg. after that with the Kaiser, and he will ask the 
latter whether he has forgotten the Zionists. 

Wolffsohn is now going to Hechler again. 

• • • 


6:30 p.m. 

Hechler was here for an hour, drank tea. and told us about his 
contretempi [mishap]. 

He had arrived at Eulenburg’s tent where he was told that the 
Count was expected back momentarily. Hechler rushed out in 
order to notify Wolffsohn that it would be a while longer. When 
he returned, Eulenburg had been there and left again. For half 
>n hour our good Hechler sat in Fulenburg’s tent and waited. 
Then, trumpets, the noise of depan ure. Who was leaving? The 
Kaiser. And Count Eulenburg? With him. So Hechler marched 
off bredouille [empty-handed]. 

5 : S° he drove back to the Imperial encampment. Now 
Wolffsohn and Schnirer have gone out there to wail for Hechler. 

This uncertain waiting has by now completely demoralized us. 

Hechler told us that the Kaiser would not be leaving for 
J*^ho. but for Beirut. So the war scare seems to have been a 
fabrication after all. 



750 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

November i, Jerusalem 

At 7:30 yesterday evening Wolffsohn and Schnirer came back 
from the encampment with the following report: 

Hechler saw Eulenburg, first spoke about this and that, and 
then asked when the Zionists would be received. Eulenburg said: 
"Tomorrow or the day after.” 

The Kaiser is not going to Jericho, but is staying here a while 
longer. 


• • • 

I am very sorry that I allowed my companions to dissuade me 
two days ago from writing to the Kaiser and asking him to re- 
ceive me as soon as possible, because I had to return to Europe 
without delay; my ship would be leaving on Tuesday. 

The gentlemen were afraid of forcing the pace. They don't 
know my reason: I want to leave the country immediately after 
the audience, before the Turks regain their senses and perhaps 
make trouble for me. 

Now the chance is lost. There won't be a safe vessel sailing 
for Port Said before next Tuesday, and it is highly doubtful 
whether there is a chance connection whic h would enable us to 
be in Port Said or Alexandria by Saturday. 

I made a great mistake in letting myself be dissuaded. 

Overnight it occurred to me to send the Kaiser some photo- 
graphs of the colonies and take this opportunity to remind him 
of the audience. I have now sent out someone to buy a piece of 
costly fabric as a covering for the pictures. Wolffsohn will take 
the packet to Eulenburg, to whom 1 am writing the following 
note: 

"I have the profound honor to hand Your Excellency herewith 
a few photographs of the Jewish colonies already established in 
Palestine, with the request that the pictures lie submitted to His 
Majesty the Kaiser. 

May I take this opportunity to inquire whether the day and 
the hour of our reception have already been fixed? Directly after 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 751 

the audience we should like to depart for Europe, where pressing 

business calls us. 

“With repeated thanks to Your Excellency for your very kind 
offices and begging you to accept the expression of my deep re- 
spect, I remain 

Your humble servant. 
Dr. Th. H. 


November s. Jerusalem 

This letter to Eulenburg was not sent off. For while Scidener 
and Schnirer were out, yesterday morning, to get the cover for 
the pictures, the kavass of the German Consulate came with a 
slip that bore only my name, and he invited me to call on the 

Consul-General. 

I found the Consul-General, von Tischendorf, in the company 
of a Count Miihling who wore the new red Cross of Jerusalem. 

Tischendorf told me that I was being expected at the encamp- 
ment by legation Councillor Krmeth who wanted further in- 
formation horn me about the audience I had requeued. So there 
was to be an audience after all. 

My friends and I had already been quite disheartened by hav- 
ing had to “mew" for so long. On our way to the Consulate, 
Schnirer pulled a long face and expressed a pessimistic view, 
■ying that this summons to the Comulate meant snow. 

*** more overjoyed when I told him in the carriage 

was happening. We drove to the Imperial encampment; I 
®T*rlf announced to the legation Councillor. The latter, a 
nightly-built. still young, but already very self-possessed official, 
**°oved me with some condescension, led me into a reception 
•**H. where he lounged hack rather grandly in an armchair, 
an *l then waved my corrected Address in front 
^ number of passages in the draft I had sent Eulenburg 
**** crossed out with a pencil. These I must discard, he said. He 
** ,cl My lhat to the Kaiser. He! He? Who is he? It 

*nded me of the servant in Dr. Klaus who treats the patients 


752 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

in the doctor’s absence, but I took the young man’s presumptu- 
ousness with an unperturbed expression. He finally desired me 
to submit the document to him again, along with the revised 
manuscript, so that he might compare them and see whether I 
had done things right. I overlooked the impertinence of it and 
said calmly, "Certainly!” 

He added, with half an apology, that after all he had the re- 
sponsibility. He? Who? 

Then he asked me. not ungraciously: 

"What city is your usual place of residence?” 

As if he didn't know all this very well. Surely an audience of 
this sort is not an everyday occurrence. These gentlemen must 
have talked about it at length and often, as well as grumbled 
about me. Obviously they are all furious that the Kaiser should 
pay so much attention to a Jew. 

But again I gave a very calm and modest answer: "In Vienna." 

I also asked in what way I would be notified about the publi- 
cation. I would, of course, make public only what I was instructed 
to publish. 

He observed coldly: " ’Instructed’ does not seem the right 
word to me. At most you will be permitted to publish some- 
thing.” 

This time he was right. I prepared to leave. Might I bring 
along some pictures of the colonies for the Kaiser? Herr Kemeth 
or Kehmeu had no objection; but he would welcome it if we did 
not take too much of the Kaiser's time. He welcomes something. 

I learned, too, that Billow would be present at the audience. 

Then I left. 


• • • 

In the evening I sent Bodenheimer to the mighty Herr Lega- 
tionsrat [Legation Councillor] with a clean copy of the new ver- 
sion as well as the corrected manuscript. 

In the light of evening he is said to have been not entirely un- 
gracious. He said to Bodenheimer: "Your representative, Dr. 
Herzl, spoke about publicity. In any case, we are counting on it 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZL 753 

that for the time being nothing of the sort will be undertaken.” 
Bodenheimer assured His Importance of our discretion. 

For a man who knows so well how to correct one’s diction it 
was undoubtedly a deliberate mistake when he spoke of me as 
the "representative” of Dr. Bodenheimer. Je deplais a ces Mes- 
sieurs. Je men doutais [I displease these gentlemen, 1 suspect]. 

• • • 


In the afternoon we were on the Mount of Olives. 

Great moments. What couldn't be made of this countryside! 
A city like Rome, and the Mount of Olives would furnish a 
panorama like the Janiculum. 

I would isolate the old city with its relics and pull out all the 
regular traffic: only houses of worship and philanthropic institu- 
tions would be allowed to remain inside the old walls. And the 
wide ring of hillsides all around, which would turn gTrrn under 
our hands, would be the location of a glorious New Jerusalem. 
The most discriminating from every pan of the world would 
travel the road up to the Mount of Olives. Tender care can turn 
Jerusalem into a jewel. Include everything sacred within the old 
walls, spread everything new round about it. 

VVe climbed the Russian Tower — myself only as far as the 
fim level, because I got dizzy, the other gentlemen to the very 
•op. Incomparable view of the Jordan valley with its mountain 

*^opr*. the Dead Sea, the mountains of Moab, the eternal city of 

Jerusalem. 

It would require time and a clear head to elaborate all these 

impressions. 


our way bark we went to the rocky Tombs of the Kings, 
*rre once owned by a French Jew, P^reire. and — pre* 
him to the French government. This is how impossible 
^P ple ^considered it that the Jews would ever own anything 


754 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

November 2, Jerusalem 

The morning before the great event a bit hectic. While still 
in my night shirt I instructed my friends how to behave during 
the audience. Amusing details. Bodenheimer doesn’t have a good 
silk hat. Then the excitement of procuring a carriage, since we 
must certainly drive up in state. 

Many bothersome callers. 

Our good Hechler has just been here. He undertook to deliver 
the folder with the photographs of the colonies to Count F.ulen- 
burg. Then he blessed us in the name of the God of Abraham. 
Isaac, and Jacob, put on his white hat with its flowing veil, and 
left. 

Now. at eleven, we are taking a snack, and then we shall dress. 
Schnirer wants to give each of us a little bromine — which is what 
people take nowadays before going to fight a duel. 

• • • 


At 1:08 

We are already back from the audience. 

This brief reception will be preserved forever in the history 
of the Jews, and it is not beyond possibility that it will have his- 
toric consequences as well. 

But how odd were the details of the entire procedure. 

At 11:30 we were finished with our abbreviated luncheon. I 
insisted on keeping my gentlemen on short rations, so that they 
might be in the proper trim. 

By noon we were all dressed. Bodenhcimer had a grotesque 
top-hat and cuffs so wide that his shirt-sleeves kept sliding down 
into sight. At the last moment we had to dig him up another 
pair of c uffs. 

I put on (for the first time) my shabby Mcjidiye decoration. 

1 wouldn't let anyone take bromine — as Marcou Baruch said 
at Basel: je ne le voulais pas pour I'histoire [I didn't want it. 
for the sake of history]. 

Et f’avais raison [And I was right]. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 755 


In the burning noonday sun and the white dust we drove to 
the encampment. A few Jews in the streets looked up as we 
paoed. Ducks in the swamp, when the wild ducks arc flying over- 
head. 


At the railing enclosing the encampment, the Turkish guards 
hesitated to admit Schnirer and myself. Then a non-commis- 
sioned officer came and let us pass. 

Inside the enclosure Count von Kessel, in colonial uniform, 
met us and directed us to a reception tent. There we stood for 
about ten minutes and inspected the little salon with its colorful 
carpets and furniture. 

Then we were summoned to the Imperial tent. The Kaiser 
awaited us there, in grey colonial uniform, a veiled helmet on 
his head, brown gloves, and— oddly enough — with a riding crop 
in his right hand. A few pares before the entrance I came to at- 
tention and bowed. The Kaiser held out his hand to me very 
affably when 1 entered. Somewhat to one side stood Bulow in a 
dusty, grey lounge-suit, holding my corrected draft in his hand. 

My four companions entered the spacious tent behind me. I 
asked if I might present them: the Kaiser nodded, and I did so. 
As each name was pronounced, he placed his hand to the visor 
of his helmet. 

Then, after exchanging a glance with Billow, I took out my 
tcript and read it aloud, at first softly and in a somewhat tremu- 
lous voice, but gradually trts a mon asst [quite at ease]. From 
time to time 1 glanced up from the paper and looked into the 
KaiseT 1 eyes which he kept levelled at me. 

When I had finished, he spoke. 

He said roughly the following: 

thank you for this communication which has interested me 
P'Ouy. The matter, in any case, still requires thorough study 
further discussion." He then went into tome observations on 
colonization up to now. "The land needs, above all, water 
He used some technical terms related to agriculture 
forestry. For the rest, his observations had told him that the 
*** arable. "The settlements I have seen, the German ones 


756 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

as well as those of your people, may serve as indications of what 
can be done with the land. The country has room for everyone. 
Only provide water and trees. The work of the colonists wdl also 
serve as a stimulating example to the native population. Your 
movement, with which I am thoroughly acquainted, contains a 
sound idea.” 

He then assured us of his continued interest, and what else he 
said during the five or six minutes of his reply I can no longer 
remember. 

When he had concluded his formal response, he gave me his 
hand, but did not dismiss us yet; instead, he drew me into a 
conversation with Bulow: “You know Herr von Bulow, don't 
you?” 

Did I know him! Biilow, who had followed ray whole address 
running his forefinger along my draft copy, gave a sweet smile. 
We talked about our trip. 

The Kaiser said: “We happened to hit the hottest time of the 
year. I he day when we met was the worst. At Ramleh we took 
the temperature: 31 ° in the shade, 41 ° in the sun.” 

Biilow said sweetly: “As His Majesty the Kaiser was gracious 
enough to observe, water is the main thing. Herr Herzl will 
know better than I what the Greek poet says: 

” Apiaro r fUy SS<»p" [Water is best].* 

We can supply the country with it. It will cost billions, but 
it will yield billions.” 

Well, money is what you have plenty of,” the Kaiser exclaimed 
jovially and slapped his boot with his riding crop. “More money 
than any of us.” 

Biilow abondait daru ce sens [echoed this]: “Yes, the money 
which is such a problem for us you have in abundance." 

I pointed out what could be done with the water power of the 
Jordan and drew Seidener, as an engineer, into the conversation. 
Seidencr discussed dams, etc. The Kaiser eagerly took up the sub- 
ject and developed the idea. I his brought him to sanitary condi- 
tions, eye diseases, etc., which break out particularly at the time 
• Translator'* Note: A quotation from Pindar. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THF.ODOR HERZL 757 

of the fig-harvest. At this point I brought in Schnirer, who spoke 
briefly on the subject. 

I managed to get in my idea of turning over the old city to 
charitable institutions, cleaning it up, and building a New Jeru- 
alem which people would view from the Mount Olives the way 
Rome is viewed from the Janiculum. 

I was not able to bring in Wolffvrhn and Bodenheimer, for the 
Kaiser concluded the audience by shaking hands with me once 
more. 

I went out first, then cast one more sidelong glance behind me. 
law the profile of the Kaiser who had turned to Bulow and was 
speaking with him; it looked as though he wished to give himself 
contename [an appearance]. 

As we went away. Count von Kessel asked; “Already over, the 
audience?" He was less obliging than at Constantinople, from 
which I inferred that our stock was lower. 

Upon leaving. I said to Schnirer: *7/ n'a dit ni oui ni non [He 
aid neither yes nor no]." 

Again they didn't want to let us pass the barrier. But outside 
wood the secret-service agent and supposed Zionist Mendel Kra- 
mer, who has been accompanying us since Jaffa — by order of the 
Turkish government, it seems to me — and made them open the 

gate for us. 


• • • 

He aid neither yes nor no. Evidently a lot has been happening 
Wund the scenes. On the back of the draft copy that I returned 
^ w “ » pencilled note. Tewfik Pasha. Grand Hotel " I 
"^de an inquiry as to whether this was the Foreign Minister. It 


Telegram to the Grand Duke: 

- ? ^ R°yal Highness, Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden. 

W today to send Your Royal Highness, f T om the 


758 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Holy City, thanks Irom the bottom of tny heart for all His kind- 
ness. 

Respectfully, 
Theodor Herzl. 

November 4, Jaffa 

Following the audience, the day before yesterday, we drove to 
the Marx house. A few people who had seen us leave and return 
pushed their way in, pretending to be visitors. With an effort we 
managed to clear the drawing-room. At half past three I drove 
in company with Wolffsohn, Bodenheimer, and the colonist 
Broze to the beautifully situated, but still very, very poor colony 
Mozah, where that stout-hearted young man started four or five 
years ago to cultivate the unspeakably infertile soil. By now he 
sees the fruits of his industry, he is already beginning to reap the 
harvest. I he drive along the picturesque mountain road from 
Jerusalem to Mozah — somewhat reminiscent of the Pyrenees — 
passed quickly for us while the colonist Broze told us about the 
hardships of the initial period. Once, when the vines were Ire- 
ginning to sprout, deer came at night and ate off the shoots. 
Thereafter he camped out with a rifle for three nights, although 
there often are hyenas there, and didn't sleep a wink so as not to 
be taken unawares by them. 

Was ever a soil more heroically conquered? 

At Mozah I planted a young cedar on Brozc's holding, on the 
sheltered slope which faces away from St. Jean. Wolffsohn 
planted a little date-palm. A few Arabs helped us, besides the 
colonists Broze and Katz. 

We returned to Jerusalem in the dark of night. 

So as not to have attention of any sort at our departure, I had 
asked my friends not to pack until after night fall. I got up at 
two in the morning and pac ked my things. 

We took the early train yesterday from Jerusalem to Jaffa. I 
wanted to leave the city and the country without delay, and hur- 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 759 

rial to the harbor I took a small boat and had the boatmen row 
out to a Lloyd steamer which was ready to sail. Not for us, 
unfortunately The ship was bound for Beirut. I was willing to 
*0 along there and then back again by another Lloyd steamer, 
anything to avoid staying here any longer. But it proved to be 
impracticable, because the ship already had steam up. our lug- 
gage was still at the railroad station, and connections bac k from 
Beirut were uncertain, too. 

Besides the German battleships, the only other vessels lying 
at anchor were another Beirut-bound boat belonging to a travel 
agency, a Russian freighter which still had four days of cargo- 
loading. a Turkish steamer for Constantinople, and the yacht of 
Gordon Bennett of the New York Herald. I rowed up to all of 
them, with the exception of the T urkish steamer whit h I avoided. 
Nothing doing. A shipping agent told us that an Flnglish orange- 
freighter would be sailing for Alexandria the next day (that is, 
today). A ship of the Prince Line would not arrive until tomor- 


So we were unfortunately obliged to spend the night in Jaffa, 
where I was bothered by curiosity-seekers, friends and foes. In 
particular, there was a certain I)r. Mazie of Rishon who. I am 
told, goes about saying that I wish to convert the Jews to Protes- 
tantism, that I am a toed of the English Mission among the Jews, 


iiiik 1 is* in m» iiuau- 

uous remarks. 

It ihould abo be rationed that Mr. N.r*o. the director .,1 
Israel, expressly requested me not to pay a second visit 

52* ** Mmc Nic K° * urgent invitation. I had promised 
pro forma [as a matter of courtesy]; the Turkish authori- 
‘"v he said, might take it amiss 

Cl “"" ** ,hr P*" ,hc H'Hhvhild 
edi ' " “ ,rvrn rtRitt after the encounter at Mil* 



760 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

My four friends are discontented, because for the time being 
we must not divulge anything about the audience. 

• • • 

I am writing to Gordon Bennett:* 

Dear Sir, 

Perhaps you know my name as that of the leader of the Zion- 
ist movement. 

I had to speak with the Emperor at Jerusalem and came back 
yesterday too late to Jaffa, so that there is no ship for me. I wish 
to go to Alexandria. 

Now 1 understand that your Yacht leaves this evening for 
Alexandria. If that is so, have you a place for me and only one 
of my four companions? In that way I could reach Alexandria 
to-morrow evening, in time for the steamer to Naples, where I am 
expected. 

I should be very thankful to get your answer as soon as pos- 
sible. If you have no place for me, I must try some other combi- 
nation, and that is difficult in this place. 

Believe me, Sir, 

Yours obediently 
Dr. Th. H. 


• • • 

I am also writing to Hechler not to have any more chats with 
anyone here, on account of the tattling and the informers. 

November 5, in the morning 

At sea, between Jaffa and Alexandria, aboard the English 
orange freighter ‘'Dundee." 

Only now do I consider our expedition completed, and with 
fairly good success. 

In Palestine things had got too hot for me. If the Turkish 
government had only a glimmer of political foresight, this time 

* In Engluh in the original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 761 

they would have had to put a stop to my game once and for all. 
Ever since my arrival at Constantinople they have had an op- 
portunity to do this which may never return. All they would 
have had to do was to expel me. Or they could have made even 
shorter work of me by simply having me attacked and put out 
of the way by gendarmes disguised as robbers. 

But people's lack of understanding for my idea not only fre- 
quently does me harm, but also does me good My plan is not 
understood; that is why it is furthered so little — and impeded 
10 little. 

The Turkish government allowed me to continue and com- 
plete my journey ; and unless my suppositions deceive me, I am 
a political factor by now. 

One of the peculiarities about this journey is the fact that since 
October 19 I have not known what has been happening in the 
world. Newspapers are non-existent in these pans, telegrams take 
four to five days, letters are delivered haphazardly — or not at all. 

Thus we have no idea whether our expedition was so much as 
noticed in the political world: and if so, what comment it has 
evoked. 

For a few days we heard talk of war-like entanglements be- 
tween France and England, but these improbabilities as well as 
the story about a successful Napoleonic coup d’etat were soon 

denied again. 


Tbe last day in Jaffa was most disagreeable. All sons of beg 
pn and spies turned up. A very bad impression was made by the 
lodmh ild physician Mazie, who intruded upon us and who. we 

” rn ^' wa * making roe out the tool of the English mission 
,mo * 1 8 the Jews. 

That is why yesterday morning — urns crier gore [without any 
•am.ng}— I went with Wolffaohn down to the harbor and had 
****'” f^wed to the little F.nglish freighter "Dundee" (of 
* n d when I saw that five pervins could be ac- 
“•“‘odaud. though but poorly. I booked the passages and sent 


762 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Wolffsohn ashore with instructions to fetch the whole party, 
bag and baggage, within the hour. 

I myself stayed right on the ship, out of reach of the Mendel 
Kramers, Mazies, and all those people who, with good intentions 
or bad, might have got me into trouble with the Turkish mis- 
government — whether in order to save imperilled Jewry, earn 
their thirty pieces of silver, or get into the good graces of Roths- 
child or some pasha. 

Only aboard this cockle-shell of a boat, which would presum- 
ably be tossed high in a high sea, did I feel safe and regard my 
renewed ride across Lake Constance as successful. 

My companions, however, whom VY'olffsohn brought aboard 
the “Dundee” precisely within the hour, did not sec things that 
way. They considered the little boat too small for the passage to 
Alexandria. Seidener and Bodenheimer in particular rebelled. 
Schnirer maintained a sullen silence. Only Wolffsohn stood this 
test, too, as he always does, and stuck by me through thick and 
thin. 

The gentlemen complained about my arbitrary action, re- 
proaching me for calling no previous discussion of this sudden 
embarcation. I explained to them that there had been no time. 
In bad weather it is impossible to get out of Jaffa harbor. One 
can get neither aboard nor ashore. Since all the repons had pre- 
dicted an imminent storm and the skies were already overcast, I 
had produced this fait accompli. Incidentally, an immediate 
restoration of the status quo was still possible; why didn't those 
gentlemen who had no faith in the “Dundee” go ashore again. 

Seidener thought that was no longer possible; he would not 
be permitted to go ashore with his Russian passpon. I offered 
to accompany him and get him through, as at the first landing. 
Then they hesitated. Finally 1 categorically insisted on the three 
of them going ashore again, because I wouldn't want any re- 
proaches en route if the weather turned bad. Thereupon — they 
stayed, intending to spend only the night on the "Dundee” and 
today transfer to a bigger ship that was expected. 

Meanwhile, the captain speeded up the loading of the oranges 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 763 

bfcause he didn't want to lose these passengers. The sea was 
imooth at sunset, and when the three mutineers were for the last 
time faced with the question of whether to go along or stay be- 
hind, they — went along. 

But we have had a rough passage so far. The "Dundee' rolled 
and pitched like mad. We couldn't stay in the cabins because of 
the stifling heat. All five of us had our mattresses put on the 
deck and once again slept, or lay awake, & la belle tloile [under 
the open sky]. Seidener and Bodenheimer became sea-sick even 
during the night. Now, in the forenoon, my good Wolffsohn feels 
sick also. 

Schnirer and I are still in good shape. 

And in spite of this bad |>assage I feel fine when I consider 
that this venture of a Pretender's journey to Palestine has, up to 
now, come off successfully. 


November 8 , on the high seas, 
bound for Naples 

Aboard the "Regina Margherita 

We are heading north, homeward. Wonderful Egypt was full 
of the most joyful surprises for me. There one can see what in- 
dustry and energy can make even out of a hot country. Even 
though we don’t have the Nile mud in Palestine, the soil does 
offer a thousand possibilities which sensible management can 
bring out. 


• • • 

The Khedive Ismail had an excellent idea for the creation of 
new city districts. Whoever pledged himself to build a house in 
the value of 30,000 francs within a certain time received a piece 
of land gratis. This could be imitated and even improved. Parts 
of the city could be constructed according to a master plan. 
Architectonic collective effects, as on the Place dc la (kinto e, 
etc. 


• • • 


764 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Similarly wilh the elimination of swamps. Anyone who pledges 
himself to drain a piece of land, gets it as his property and is 
exempted from taxes for several years. 

• • • 

On the “Regina Margherita” there is a Franciscan priest who 
was also our fellow passenger on the “Dundee." 

When we met again in Alexandria yesterday we greeted one 
another affably. This morning I got to talking with him. He is 
the prior of the Franciscans of Tiberias. An amiable, intelligent 
man. He had a cursory acquaintance with the Zionist movement. 
In my presentation it made perfect sense to him. Particularly my 
idea of cleaning up all of the old Jerusalem, barring daily traffic 
from it, and making out of it, so to speak, a sacred jewel in a 
rich setting. In Rome he will introduce me to the head of the 
Franciscan order, Lauer. 


November 9 , at sea 

A letter to the Grand Duke, one about which I have been 
ruminating since Jerusalem, is to give a push to our cause, 
which is certainly at a standstill and may have been upset. For 
the past two or three weeks we have been cut off from all news. 
The French and English newspapers which, much delayed, we 
were able to get hold of in Egypt did not contain a word about 
us. Neither did the dispatches of the telegraphic news agencies. 

From Alexandria I wired my father, asking whether the Jeru- 
salem audience was already known, and received the cabled re- 
sponse: Audience known." 

Now we are heading for Naples, full of excited anticipation. 

My companion, were afraid that the whole audience would have 
to remain a secret. 

Howevtr I had determined to make the fact, if not the tub- 

a a "a" nc ' PUbliC - Since ,hf v were fatick In-tween 
2 “ d AI«andna. I did no. tell them about i, until Cairo I. 

h “' CT tm become 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 765 

out our action. This way my dispatch to the Welt gets merely 
the character of an official confirmation and not of a revelation. 

November 9 , lying in my cabin 
(Dated November 18 , ’ 98 ) 

Utter to the Grand Duke: 

Your Royal Highness: 

Assuming a continued interest in our cause on the part of 
Your Royal Highness, upon my return I am permitting myself 
to report to you most respectfully about the events of the Pales- 
tine journey. 

On the second of November, following the reception by His 
Majesty the Kaiser of the Zionist delegation. I took the liberty 
of telegraphing my most humble thanks for all the kindness and 
encouragement I have received from ^our Royal Highness. 

A positive result in the sense of his Imperial Majesty formalls 
assuming the protectorate requested by the delegation has not 
been achieved. When I had my first audience— in Constantinople 
—I believed, it U true, that such a result might come about on 
the occasion of the public gesture in Jerusalem, for His Majesty 
was very favorably inclined toward the Zionist idea— something 
that we evidently owe to the gracious intercession of V>ur Ros.il 
Highness. It was stipulated that I should submit the draft of my 
Address prior to the formal reception. 1 his I did, and thr draft 
was approved with a few cuts. 1 take the liberty of sending V>ur 
Rosa I Highness herewith the Address I made in Jerusalem, and 
beg most humbly that the manuscript be returned sometime. 
However, between the private audience in Constantinople and 
the reception of the deputation in Jerusalem, difficulties vein to 
have arisen. I don't know anything further about this as yet 
only draw this conclusion from the fact that His Majesty d not 
mention the protectorate over the land-companv in his regions* 
The establishment of a land-company after the pattern of the 
Chartered Company • or the East India Company seem at t e 


• In Eng Inh in thr origin* L 


766 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

moment to be the very thing that could be obtained from the 
Sultan without arousing too much ill feeling among the other 
Powers. 

I am still of the opinion that under the present < ircumstanccs 
no effective objection may be expected particularly from France, 
the power which claims to have a protectorate over this part of 
the Orient. The Fashoda incident was confirmation of this view. 

The present Republican government must quietly acquiesce 
in any fait accompli that is not a downright insult. 

Since His Majesty was gracious enough to remark that “the 
matter requires even more detailed study and further discus- 
sion,” I shall probably soon learn the nature of the difficulties 
that have arisen. 

Unless my interpretation of the most recent events is an er- 
roneous one, it was only external difficulties and not a change 
of mind on the part of His Majesty that have for the time being 
postponed the declaration of a German protectorate which we 
expected. I am mindful of the wise words Your Royal Highness 
spoke at Mainau: that in such world-historic matters each in- 
dividual step requires great patience. And perhaps I am not 
wrong in regarding even the undeclared protectorate as one 
virtually existing; at least until such time as I am expressly in- 
formed of the contrary. The fidelity and caution which this im- 
poses upon me I shall observe and maintain. 

But even if German policy had to turn away from our cause, 

I shall owe an everlasting debt of gratitude to Your Royal High- 
ness for the moral support of my endeavors which cannot be un- 
just if such a high-minded prince approves of them. 

I wish the conferences which I was privileged to have with 
Your Royal Higness and about which I am most dutifully keep 
ing silent were known to the world. 

This infinitely noble and simple way of pel forming a ruler’s 
functions would surely touch most people and make some others 
deeply ashamed. I o me they have been unforgettable moments 
which have compensated me for many struggles and sorrows in 
my difficult task. And I shall also remain forever grateful for 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 767 

being given the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the 
sunny personality of the Kaiser. 

With the most profound respec t, I remain 

Your Royal Highness’ very obedient servant. 

Dr. Th. H. 

Karll.udwigvr. 50, Wahring, Vienna. 

November 15, on the train 
between Gonegltano and Udine 

Since we left the "Regina Marghcriia" in Naples there have 
been days of depression. At Naples we got the first news from 
Europe. Till then we had been cut off from the world. 

The German newvagenc y has issued a colorless, odorless dev 
pub about our audience: a Jewish deputation had been re- 
ceived by the Kaiser, in Palestine. 

"Receiied after going to press. 

Jerusalem, November t. Kaiser Wilhelm has received a Jew- 
ish deputation, which presented him an album of pictures of the 
Jewish colonies established in Palestine. Replying to an address 
b? the leader of the deputation, Kaiser Wilhelm said that all 
those endeavors were assured of his benevolent interest that aimed 
a« the improvement of agriculture in Palestine, thus furthering 
welfare of the Turkish Empire, with complete respect for 
the loverrignty of the Sultan.” 

TTlhtt is apparently from the pen of the ungracious legation 
uwnallor Klement or Kemeth. unless it is Bulow's handiwork 
7 traveling companions were depressed, most of all Roden 
Even the faithful Wolfsohn faltered. 
millLI f If moral [I raised their morale again]: I 

to us n ° l ' *° arran * c for publication of a version suitable 

Ti£) d ,!j! l ‘ 0 “' d '° ' h "" : You *“• ,hi ‘ “ wh r 1 »■» <hf l«dcr. 
mma ...Tl n * f ,rovc my l * l,c 10 pr»sition. I am neither 

and that T T ,rr ,han ° ne °* *° u Bul 1 rcra *«n undaunted. 

* T deserve to be the leader. In darker moments 


768 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HF.RZL 

than this one I have not lost courage — in fact, I have made even 
greater sacrifices. 

• • • 

The planned trip to Rome also had to be cancelled. In Naples 
there was news from Newiinski waiting for me: he had fallen 
seriously ill and could not travel. 

I think this is just an excuse. Either he does not have the con- 
nections in Rome which he pretended to have, or he quite sim 
ply wants to pocket the two thousand guilders which I had paid 
out to him. 

Still, I am not angry at him, even if it should turn out that he 
has always lied to me. Actually, his lies supplied me hints for ac- 
tion. For the things that I guessed as correct I at least had in him 
a collaborator to whom I could refer. That is why, as a precau- 
tion, I never checked on his statements too closely. 

Since the main reason I wanted to send him to Rome was to 
prevent him from possibly intruding on me in Constantinople 
where he would have been in my way, I wasn’t too bothered by 
the disrupted plans for Rome. There would even have been cer- 
tain inconv4nients [inconveniences] on account of the Grand 
Duke, who might have regarded it as duplicity on my j»art. It is 
true that in Palestine Germany did not keep its promises to me: 
and the lower functionaries even shamefully twisted and dis- 
torted the Kaiser s actual words at Jerusalem, which were al* 
ready greatly toned down. But I always want to be irreproachable 
in my conduct. 

At any rate, now I must send the Grand Duke a letter different 

om the one drafted earlier. The Kaiser will not be in Berlin 

ore the end of November. So I have time to get information 

in lenna, also to speak with Eulenburg, before writing the 
Grand Duke. 

• • • 

The fact that the Kaiser did not assume the protectorate in 

sa em is, of course, an advantage for the future development 
of our cause. 1 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 769 

Mv companions, it is true, were quite disappointed. For the 
protectorate would have been a clear immediate benefit. But not 
to in the long run. We would subsequently have had to pay the 
Dost usurious interest for this protectorate. It would only have 
been much more convenient, and Bodenhrimer would have re- 
turned to Cologne a made man, which, to be sure, is not now the 
case. And since he proved to be rather unmanageable on the trip, 
I shall in future doucement 4 carter [gently sidetrack] him. 

• • • 

Schmrer and Seidener returned home directly from Naples. 
I parted from Wolffsohn and the slightly ill Bodenheimcr at 

Rome 


November 18 . Vienna 

Insen for the revised letter to the Grand Duke, which I have 

■ow sou off after all via Cologne- Wolffsohn, omitting certain 

passages 

I wish the conferences, etc. etc. 


November 18 , Vienna 


Home again. 

The Inner Actions Committee gase me a tempestuous wel- 
®**^Btit they haven t done very much during my absence. 

_ 5* Mi< * , ^ al a * ,eT dispatch from the German news- 

they had all been crushed. 

Now they want to put on a monster party in my honor at the 
^™*®***l. Thu I firmly refuted. 

Tfcy med to get into the elections of the local Jewish Com 
^ ^ VC 11 U P ^ uc *° co *nplete lack of organization 


• • • 

®otr wk^T hue Prrue they only smiled, not laughed any 
returned. A few of them even smiled enviously. 



770 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Benedikt made a sweet-and-sour face and asked what the Kaiser 
had said about Austria. 

Nothingl I answered. Bacher was very amiable. On his table, 
to his shame and embarrassment, there was a copy of the Welt 
which he didn’t have a chance to hide. He, too, quizzed me; he, 
too, got only vague answers. I said I would enlighten him only 
after the Neue Freie Presse had published its first Zionist article. 
But after that we did get into a dispute about Zionism, with a 
pleasant ending. 

• • • 

Yesterday I went to sec Newlinski, who really is gravely ill 
and moriturus [moribund]. He had reports from Constantinople. 
The Kaiser is said to have told the Sultan: “The Zionists are not 
dangerous to Turkey; but everywhere the Jews are a nuisance 
which we should like to get rid of." To which the Sultan re- 
portedly replied, in his usual manner, that he was quite satisfied 
with his Jewish subjects. The Empress, for her part, is reported 
to have said that the journey was going to be very nice; the only 
disagreeable thing was that she would have to see so many Jews. 

More gossip from Constantinople: Nuri Bey is hostile to us 
because he hasn't received any baksheesh yet. but an investiga- 
tion is pending against him for having taken bribes for assigning 
consular posts. The ambassador at Berlin. Ahmet! Tewfik, is 
also against us. In Turkey there now is a feeling of disappoint- 
ment over the Kaiser’s journey which ran up 16 millions in ex- 
penses and was not able to prevent the loss of Crete. 

On the Roman side, Newlinski relates that he has spoken with 
Tamassi in Munich and with Nuncio Taliani in Vienna, and 
has also had letters from Agliardi. The sentiment, he says, is 
divided. We should, in any case, attempt something in Rome. 

Then came Kozmian. Badeni’s friend, a bit toned-down and 
epressed. He spoke about Zionism, saw many difficulties in the 
question of the Holy Places, and does not quite believe in the 
implementation. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 771 

December i, Vienna 

Since I have had no sign of life from Ambassador Eulenburg, 
whom I informed of my return, I am today writing to August 

Eulenburg at Berlin: 

Your Excellency: 

1 have the most humble honor to send a book and a newspajK-r 
article for His Majesty the Kaiser. 

The book ( The Palais bourbon) is being sent under separate 
cover. His Majesty gave me permission at Constantinople to 
present it to him. The enclosed article is likewise connected with 
the audience in that city. In it are reproduced remarks which 
His Majesty was pleased to make to me. Naturally, in the news- 
paper I did not permit myself to make the slightest allusion to 
the exalted origin of these observ ations. 

Thanking Your Excellency in advance for your good offices 
and begging you to accept the expression of my deepest respect, 
I remain 

Your obedient servant. 
Dr. Th.H. 

December 6, Vienna 

Since the Lack of news had become alarming, the day before 
yesterday I sent my good Hechler, who is back from Palestine, to 
Karlsruhe to see the Grand Duke. If there was nothing wrong, 
he was to wire me: “Uncle's condition fine,” possibly ’ splendid. 

This evening his telegram came: "Uncle splendid, grandson 
(probably supposed to be “nephew”) very well-behaved. Hech- 
ler ” 

So I hope that nothing has come 'twixt the cup and the lip * 

But why the long silence, especially Eulenburg's? A sort of 
filing in ante-rooms. 


• • • 

* Tnmtaior « Nose Hml i phne. Itrttthm Upp' KtUhrtrwmd, m 
rrtrdruh kind, portn Ko mg In Hot Otoe). 


772 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Today the news from Paris, via Marmorek, that Nordau U 
ready to go to London with Wolffsohn, negotiate with the 
I. C. A., and call on Salisbury to whom he has access. 

I had a wired reply sent, saying that this was welcome, but that 
for the time being he must not divulge the result of his confer- 
ence with Salisbury to anyone but us. 


• • • 

The language of the anti-Zionist Jewish press, especially Jewish 
Chronicle and Bloch’s Woe heme hrift, has recently surpassed 
everything previous in vileness. I cannot answer, so as not to get 
into the dirtiest scuffle. 


December 9, Vienna 

Received a very fine letter from the Grand Duke, dated the 
5th of the month. 

Hechler s telegraphic bulletin is confirmed, then. 

Yesterday I read the Grand Duke’s letter to the A. C. Schnirer 
said half-heartedly: “The letter contains nothing positive,’’ I 
explained our present situation to the gentlemen as follows: 
verything depends on the results of the Bank Committee 
w ic meets in Ixmdon today. According to a confidential report 
rom our Bank secretary Loewe, a few days ago a meeting took 
p ace at Lord Rothschild’s which was attended by S. Montagu. 

occatta, Dr. Adler, and others. They were suppmrd to issue 
a manifesto against our Bank. Rothschild could not make up his 
ind to sign Adler’s draft. If such a manifesto is issued, we must 

fnrn > ' ,r * C ^ 1 ^ UT b* at Make, the whole thing will 

n into a press fight, war against the big bankers. 

fi< • 11 i c°. lffSOhn u,cccr< * ‘ n K et| ing Messieurs Sassoon, Monte- 
tnm »i n a C , ® Dlan on our *‘dc — and I would unhesitatingly 
no finan • °* our ovcr to them, because we have 

nur^r ““ and on, Y "*«* ** ferity for political 
Xh^ W K v a immwiia ‘«’ly march as power against power. 
With the banking facility, everything can be done in Turkey. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 773 

1 shall send Wolffsohn to Constantinople to gTease the palms of 
the pashas. Then I shall go to the Raiser and ask him for an 
introduction to the Czar. This is why the Raiser’s good will is 
something wholly positive. Actually, the confidence of the two 
pniuts of Baden and Prussia is le plus clair de noire avoir aetuel 
[the most obvious of our present assets]. 

• • • 

From Paris Wolffsohn reports unsuccessful negotiations with 
Edmond Rothschild, etc. Narcissc Leven. as president of the 
I.CA and the Alliance, made the statement — in front of wit- 
nesses. I hope; Wolffsohn didn’t say — that they don't know what 
to do with their millions, but that these millions will be at our 
disposal as soon as we ac hieve something positive. 

• • • 

Today Wolffsohn wired from l^ondon that the work is proceed 
ioq well. I am skeptical, however. 


December 13, Vienna 

Molffsohn telegraphs that everything has been successfully 
completed. But I don’t believe it. since I miss the names of well- 

known bankers. 


December 14 

Hechler was here yesterday. The Grand Duke spoke to him 
* affably as he had written me. The main difficulty lies in the 
<*wne nationalities of the Jews; too many of them are under the 
pmter non of French citizenship. 


• • • 

Yesterday Benedikt brought Municipal Councilor Stem to my 
introducing him to me as president of the Federation of 
^°®n»uniiies (of 100 Austrian Jewish communities). 


774 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

I said: “The organization is all right with me. What are you 
planning to do?" 

Stern (without self-irony): “We shall rent an office.’' 

I said: “A good thing that you created this organization— 
for us. Your office will be occupied by us Zionists." 

December 15. Vienna 

Letter to the Grand Duke: 

Your Royal Highness: 

My most humble thanks for the most gracious holograph letter 
of the 5th of this month. 

That the present condition of the Jews in Jerusalem— un- 
fortunately, elsewhere as well— could not make a favorable im- 
pression on His Majesty the Kaiser I had to assume in advance. 
But precisely these conditions and our ardent desire to change 
them are the main reasons for the existence of the Zionist move- 
ment. Incidentally, if His Imperial Majesty had inspected the 
agricultural colonies already established in the Holy land, he 
would have been able to observe what a beneficial change, in 
a physical as well as a moral sense, the new way of life to which 
we wish to introduce our masses has produced among the people. 
We regard changing the standard of living not as the goal, 
but only as a means toward the improvement of our people. If we 
succeed in providing for our unfortunate brethren the oppor- 
tunity for productive work on the historic soil — for which they 
have the desire, as has been proved irrefutably by many facts— 

t is will at the same time give us sufficient authority to accom- 
plish other things as well. 

It is a great comfort to me to learn from Your Royal Highness 
that my most humble address in Jerusalem has not met with 
isfavor, and that we may now as before count on a benevolent 
interest. It appears that difficulties are seen in the different citi- 
zenship of the Jews who are already settled in Palestine or are 
o be settled there in the future. But may I in all modesty point 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 775 

out that the auumptimi of a protectorate on the part of Crermany 
*ould soon produce a change in this situation. Since at present 
nmoliy all the threads converge in my hands. I tan assure you 
dut this difficulty can be removed. Even the settlements of the 
AUisncr tsftlite, which has hitherto been under French influ- 
ence, would. I definitely know, subordinate themselves without 
delay to the community as soon as it has come into being I he 
question is only how the German protectorate may be established 
without smoke and fire. For I understand full well that Germany 
cannot and will not enter into incalculable entanglements for 
the take of our idea, no matter how universally humanitarian 
it may be. 

However, we are in a position to propose a. so-to-speak. incon- 
ipKu<>us method by which the immigration of the Jews can be 
carried out under German protection gradually and steadily, 
and to which no valid objections could be nude if things are han- 
dled cautiously. 

Thu is the creation of the Jewish iand-G>mpany for Syria 
and Palestine, which 1 mentioned in my Jerusalem address, with 
the provuion that it have its seat in Ciermany. Such a land-com- 
pany has a civil-law character. Any secret agreements between 
the German government and the leaders of our movement must 
not. of course, leak out. All that would be asked <*f the I nii* 
government would be to rescind the immigration prohibition. 
The latter is untenable anyway, because, as \our R«»yal High 
ness probably knows, only in recent weeks various representatives 
n Constantinople, especially the English one. have remonstrat 
against it. 

At any rate, we shall establish the Jcwuh Und-Company in 
d* near future, because we absolutely need thiv faci nv or 
future development. However, up to now I have intention* y 
^•fd the mailer dilatorily, because even .n it* ™ ,hn ° n, ‘ 
«a*« the future protective relationship of the Dnd-compa y 

Bum be determined. . <4in . 

To avoid getting tedious, I shall give at this P° ,nt 


776 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

elusion of various trains of thought — the question is: shall we 
obtain German or English protection? The protectorate of any 
other power is at present out of the question. 

Today our movement is oriented toward the German pro- 
tectorate. Since I have had the good fortune to be allowed to 
approach Your Royal Highness, it has been my constant thought 
— one toward which 1 naturally was inclined by my education 
and my capacity as a German man of letters — that we ought to 
exert every effort to acquire the protection of the German Em- 
pire and of German Law. The tendency of German policy, gmwn 
recognizable recently, to get a foothold even farther East; the re- 
ligious and political interest on the part of His Majesty the Kaiser 
in the land of our fathers; the noteworthy actuality that German 
influence in Turkey has become the predominant one — all this 
has lent force, within our movement, to the viewpoint which I 
represent, in contrast to those which present English protection 
as desirable. The question presses for a decision in the near fu- 
ture. 

Now, I do believe that even in the event that we establish a 
land-company, under civil law, with its seat in England, this 
need not exclude the possibility of having the established settle* 
ment placed under German protection, under international law, 
at a later date perhaps a sort of German-English co-protectorate; 
but who can foresee what complications and difficulties might 
then arise. The whole thing would hover between two, and pos- 
sibly several, powers. 

At Jerusalem His Majesty deigned to tell me that our plan 
required further discussion. I now await commands. 

During the Christmas holidays I could get away from here for 
a few days and go to Karlsruhe as well as Berlin in order to be- 
come acquainted with any decision. 

I do not venture to ask Your Royal Highness again to take 
t e trouble of a written reply. A brief notification by wire to 
*ay t at Your Royal Highness has been pleased to transmit my 
present letter to Hi, Majesty, would please me greatly. 

shall understand what is meant if the wire simply reads: 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 777 

“Letter sent to Berlin. Come Christmas to Karlsruhe, to Berlin.” 
signed merely with Your Royal Highness' Christian name. 
With the expression of my most sincere veneration and deep- 
en gratitude. I remain 

Your Royal Highness' very obedient servant, 

Dr. Th. H. 

December to 

The founding of the Bank drags forward, with an effort and 
under ridiculous difficulties. Wolffsohn informs me that he has 
completed the formalities. 


December to 

Yesterday a long conversation with Eulenburg at the German 
Embassy. I explained to him the dilemma whether to establish 
the land-company under German or English auspices, as I had 
door in my letter to the Grand Duke. 

He, for hu pan. confirmed the ill-humor of the Kaiser — who 
md very friendly things about me to Eulenburg. too— over the 
jon of Jerusalem. So there too, said the Kaiser, the Jews flock 
to the big dty. 1 pointed to the colonies. Eulenburg said that this 
■Me a big difference, and accordingly the Kaiser had made a 
■■Me. He. Eulenburg, said he liked the idea of chanenng the 

land company in Berlin. 

He also spoke to me in absolute confidence about the current 
*y°° failed the attitude of the Keue Freie Preut ex- 
. roc about his conversation with our Emperor 

■Tliun affair (the threat that Prime Minister Thun had 
R^ifhsrat, on acrount of the expulsions from 
Eulenburg told the Emperor that Thun's language was 
nndthai Austria's domestic policy could not in the long 
Fiam contradiction to its foreign policy. However, 

ludp !7° r ki* fears in the kindliest manner; and this 

IOU£ ^*d him, because he tenderly venerates the Em- 


778 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

peror. But Eulenburg was still afraid that the old gentleman’s 
daily surroundings, the continued influence, might sway him in 
the opposite direction. Thun, he said, has Russian sympathies, 
and, indeed, the Emperor’s recent visit to the Russian Embassy 
for the birthday celebration of the Czar had been counter to all 
usage. 

Since Eulenburg had given me this information in confidence, 
but for the benefit of the Neue Freie Prase, I told it to IJacher 
and Benedikt, who pricked up their ears and were obviously 
pleased about getting this opportunity for information through 
me. A quelque chose malheur (Zionism) est bon [A misfortune 
(Zionism) is good for something]. 

• • • 

I had also told Eulenburg how well I had liked the Kaiser. This 
pleased him greatly. I remarked that many unofficial press er- 
rors have been made; otherwise the people and the world would 
have to have a more correct conception of this amiable and gTeat 
man. Eulenburg agreed with me about this. He repeatedly ex- 
pressed his gratification at our having this mutual relationship, 
and invited me to visit him often. 

However, I intend to make only very sparing use of this invi- 
tation. 


December t * 

Received the following wire from the good Grand Duke: 

“Your letter sent to Berlin. Until answer from there, can hold 
out no promise of conference. 

Friedrich.” 
December *3 

The question occurs to me whether the "unpleasant impres- 
sion which the Jerusalem Jews made on the Kaiser” is not merely 
German statesmanship's way of backing out of the protectorate. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 779 

Perhaps influences — today still unknown to me — have come up 
jp opposition to the plan, and in order not to be considered 
veak or vacillating, the German statesmen give this pretext. 

December >4 

Nordau sent me an utterly incredible essay, which he wrote 
for the “Achiasaf’ calendar, for publication in the I Veit. In it 
be propounds the view that the conversations about Zionism be- 
tween its leaders and statesmen, etc., had no more significance 
than discussions about the latest comedy or the last Derby race — 
as long as the Zionists were not everyw here bound together in 
tight organizations in whose name the leaders spoke. 

This is basically incorrect, because we ran proceed only by the 
method of negotiorum gestio and raiihabitio, and not by the im- 
practical method of the mandate, which presumably is nowhere 
auctioned by law. Added to this is the fact that today this ar- 
ticle— which was written last June, to be sure — could almost be 
taken as being against my conversations with the Kaiser. 

1 answered him that if I, as president of the CongTcis and the 
leader recognized by all Zionists — without bragging — speak with 
■atesmen. I cannot be considered a private person chatting about 
the subjects of the salons. Also, it cannot be regarded as levity 
or a crime if 1 speak in the name of the Jewish people — I can 
f der to Nordau himself as my chief witness, because after the 

Fint Congress he wrote me: Consider yourself as the govern- 
ment! 


Decern lx- r *6 

news horn Berlin. This means mow — and Billow! 

Decrmber >9 

Freie Preue there was a Berlin dispatch. 
*ly from an unofficial source. I asked Bacher: from whom? 



780 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

He told me: "Steinbach is in Berlin and has talked to Billow.” 

I am certain that Biilow also spoke about me and that Stein- 
bach made some tepid answer disparaging me. Steinbach is an 
"anti-Zionist" and probably said I was a charming writer of 
feuilletons, but that no one took me seriously as a politician— 
As if I had been present. 

This is the curse of weakness. Just one lousy million for a 
newspaper — and everything would be different. 

December *9 

The condition of our cause is now a desperate one; I can't 
deceive myself on that score. 

After the great success of the Palestine journey, the insuffi- 
ciency of our banking people and financial forces is an absolute 
catastrophe. 

Our Bank secretary lx>ewe is blowing the emergency whistle, 
saying he will soon be without money to defray the day-today 
expenses. 

WolfFsohn arrives here today. I must have a serious talk with 
him. The others cannot do anything whatever, and I fear he is 
not the right man either. 

• • • 

>899 

January t, Vienna 

Yesterday I sent the Grand Duke the following telegram: I 
have the profound honor to send Your Royal Highness most 
respectful best wishes for the New Year. 

Dr.ThH." 

• • • 

To which I received the following reply today: 

I am very grateful for your kind wishes and return them most 
warmly. Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden. 

• • • 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 781 
I ought to have telegraphed the Kaiser, too. 


January s 

WolfFsohn was here for a few days. II ma un peu remis du 
cocut au ventre [He put some heart into me] in regard to the 

Bank. 

After all, I subscribed ^500. for the guarantee fund, and this 

may be lost. 


Letter to the Grand Duke: 


January 1 1, ’99 


Your Royal Highness: 

I am taking the liberty to draw your attention most humbly to 
the enclosed editorial from the Welt. To the extent of my 
knowledge of conditions in France, I think I may say that the 
appointment of M. Constant as ambassador at Constantinople is 
a direct answer to His Majesty the Kaiser's journey to the Orient 
and can only have the purpose of undermining German influence 
in Turkey. What path this man. at the same time the craftiest and 
the most brutal of French politicians, will take, cannot, of course, 
ocn be foreseen. Only one thing can be said with certainty: 
If the disreputable Constans is pulled out of his well-deserved 
oblivion, and if this is done by a ministry which includes 
M. Constans' adversary Freycinet, who has been deeply wounded 
by the Panama affair, they are planning something that requires 
a nun who is capable of anything. Constans will within a short 
lime be the center of all endeavors directed against German in- 
fluence in Constantinople. 

To be sure, 1 have reason to fear that my most humble remon- 
stances in Berlin are not being heeded at the present time, since 
^ kl**r which Your Royal Highness sent to Berlin has not been 
to. Nevertheless, I should like to draw attention to this 
^ ,urn °F affairs if only because the work that Constans will 
without any doubt do at the Sultan's court is likely to demon- 


782 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

strate soon that my modest warnings have not been wholly un- 
justified. 

With the expression of my deepest respect, I remain 

Your Royal Highness’ grateful servant 

Dr. Th. H. 

Sent off via Cologne on Jan. 1 1, '99. 


January 16 

Everything bogged down. Something has to happen. I have 
decided to request an audience with the Czar via Bertha von 
Suttner. 

Letter to Bertha von Suttner: 

Vienna, Jan. 16/99 

My dear Baroness: 

Today I come to you with a request which means a great deal 
to me. 

Here, in a few words, is the story. 

It would be of the greatest importance for the Zionist move- 
ment if I informed the Czar about the purposes and aims of the 
movement. I would have to discuss it with him in person in 
order to win him over to the cause, as I succeeded in doing with 
the German Kaiser. Therefore 1 should like to have an audience 
"ith him, and my magnanimous and gTeatly admired friend 
Bertha von Suttner is to help me toward that end. Count Mura- 
viev is said to have expressed himself favorably about our cause, 
ou have contact with him, and my request is that you write 

im a fine letter telling him who I am and what I want the re- 
quested audience for. 

Although I feel that you arc benevolently disposed toward me, 
wou d certainly not trouble you for the sake of my humble per- 

*°|J* k Ut 'V* * mattcr cause on which, after all, you your- 
have bestowed your interest. Mettei, de grdee, tout votre 
es ' ,T, t et toul v <>tre coeur dans cette lettre [Please put all your 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 783 

kxjI and all your heart into this letter], then success will be as- 
sured. 

The following points, among others, ought to be stressed. 
Zionism aims at creating a legally safeguarded home for the 
Jewish people. For Russia this cause, which I believe to be a 
humanitarian one, is also politically valuable for several reasons. 

In Russia the Jewish Question poses an unsolved and very em- 
barrassing problem. The Czar, whom all of us have recently come 
to recognize as a great heart, cannot possibly refuse to support 
a peaceful, humanly benevolent solution. This would end once 
and for all the persecutions of the Jews, which break out in Rus- 
sia from lime to time and at the same time are in the nature 
of serious disturbances of the general peace. By no means all 
Jews would emigrate from Russia — no more than they would 
from other countries — , but only a surplus • of proletarians and 
desperate ones who, supported by their wealthy fellow Jews, 
would be able to establish a new, permanent home for themselves 
and at the same time substantially increase the cultural resources 
of civilization in the Orient. Furthermore, the weakening of the 
revolutionary panics would go hand in hand with this augmenta- 
tion of culture and order. Panicular emphasis should be given 
to the fact that we are everywhere engaged in battle with the 
revolutionaries and are actually turning the young students as 
■HI as the Jewish workingmen away from Socialism and Nihil- 
■d by unfolding before them a purer national ideal. These ef- 
fects of our endeavors will be observable in Russia, too. All of 
tbe desperate Jews would have to become anarchists if Zionism 
not draw them under its influence. 

It will certainly be possible to solve the problem of the Holy 
Ebces through extraterritorialization by agreement among the 
P 0lrm In the reorganization of conditions, religious interests 
fee safeguarded much better than in the present state of 
/****• ^fefeh surely is not satisfactory to the feelings of Christen- 


* *• CitfLtr, io (he original. 


784 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 

All this I might be able to explain well to the Czar de vive 
voix [by word of mouth]. That I am worthy of an audience, * 
it were, is certainly borne out by the fact that the German KaUo 
has granted me two major conferences. By taking an interest in 
this cause the Czar will add a new leaf to his wreath of glory 
as one of the greatest princes of peace of all time. Please tell him 
also that, to the extent that it has lain in my feeble powers as a 
journalist, I have gladly devoted myself to serving the cause of 
peace. 

In short, madame et grande amie [madam and noble friend], 
say everything that your heart and your mind prompt you to say. 
For you will bind many human beings, and particularly your 
obedient servant, to everlasting gratitude if you procure this 
audience for me. Naturally 1 am ready to appear before the 
Czar at any time and at any place, but the sooner the better. 
Present the matter to Count Muraviev as quite urgent, and as- 
sure him that I shall remain gTateful to him, too, for his inter- 
vention. A pen is not worth much, to be sure; but one that has 
never been set in motion for anything unclean may under certain 
circumstances be something not to be entirely dismissed. 

Since we would like to use the Peace Conference for a Zionist 
demonstration as well, it would be of the greatest importance if 
the audience were granted in advance, immediately if possible. 

Gratify me with a prompt reply, and believe in the sincere 
admiration of 

Yours very faithfully, 
Th. H. 


Postscript: 

It might not be without interest to point out that news of the 
*/ar s peace manifesto happened to break during the Basel Con- 
Srcss, and that the Congress responded to the telegraphic news 
y immediately passing an enthusiastic resolution of concurrence, 
t ic trst such resolution to conic from a representative body. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 785 

February 6 

Dined yestciday with the Suttners. The Baroness told me that 
two days ago she was in the company of Kapnist, the ambassador. 
He told her he had received a letter from Count Muraviev say- 
ing that the requested audience was out of the question now, 
although the motives of our movement were looked upon benevo- 
lently. 


February 6 

From the 14 th to the 19 th the full Actions Committee met here, 
and Nordau was here. There are protocols of this. The statutes 
and prospectuses of the Bank were hauled about in idle talk and 
finally accepted without major changes. 

1 said that the decisive battle was over the Bank subscription. 
Nordau of a different opinion. The thing is this: I am concerned 
with migration and building, he is satisfied simply with polemics 
and demonstrations 

Nordau '» big Vienna speech — which he also repeated verbatim 
in Berlin and Cologne — was inept, injudicious, incorrect. Many 
«f the things I have built up by assiduous, patient work he reck* 
k*ly destroyed. He was interesting as always, but didn't do any 
fooA His success was a personal one; the cause he harmed. He 
••“de quite uncalled for advances to Socialism, exposed all our 
weaknesses, told about our helplessness, etc. I was very distatis* 
kd and didn't conceal it from him either. 


February 8 

Went to see Nuncio Tagliani yesterday. 

He gave me a very friendly reception, saying he personally 
not unfavorably inclined toward the matter. 11 est iris rond 
**/>*/*/< tris fort [lie is very plump and seems very vigorous]. 

of those fat men who have hair on their chest. He said 1 
^*?bt to tend Newlintki to Rome, for he has the best connections 
"***• Hidden tally, the Holy See had always been well disposed 


786 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

toward the Jews. If they were locked up in the ghetto, it was only 
to protect them from the mob. 

“There have also been interruptions in this benevolent tradi- 
tion,” I remarked. 


February u 

Days of despondency. The tempo of the movement is tlowin| 
down. The catchwords are wearing out. The ideas are becoming 
subjects for declamation, and the declamation is losing its edge. 

I now face the Bank subscription with trepidation. Wolffwhn 
reports that no serious bank wants to act as the agent of sub- 
scription. Kann has the peculiar idea of naming the Cook Travel 
Bureau as the subscription headquarters. This I veto. 

Hechler wants to go to Karlsruhe again. The Grand Duke 
wired in response to his inquiry that he could come. I am giving 
him instructions. 


February ti 

Hechler has been to Karlsruhe. The Grand Duke asked bun 
to insite me to come and sent me a telegram setting the audience 
for the 27th of the month, at ten in the morning. 

On Sunday I presented the question to the A. C: Should I 
a ' t e Grand Duke to assume the protectorate over the land- 
company? Kokesch is in London, Schnirer was not at the meeting 
armorek, Kahn, and Kremencizky were unanimously in favot 
° my offering the protectorate to the Grand Duke. I said: AftfT 
* ’ e ^ on 8 Tttl can kter disavow me if it does not approve of 
V must always reckon with future ingmtitude. Right now our 

situation ,s so desperate that without German aid we shall be 
•tuck in the mud. 


• • • 

0 ^Itler says that the idea of collaborating with England 
our project struck the Grand Duke favorably. 

°n ay I shall exert every effort to get the Grand Dul 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 787 

10 telegraph the Kaiser and secure an audience for me. From the 
gaiser I shall request an introduction to the Gear. I am ordering 
Wolffsohn and Kann to Kai Isruhe. 


February *8. On the Orient Express, 
on the way back from Karlsruhe 

The evening before yesterday I arrived at Karlsruhe. Almost 
at the same minute Wolffsohn and Kann arrived on the train 
from Cologne. We met on the platform. A kind of RUtli meet- 
ing* of the Jewish Colonial Bank. We then discussed late into 
the night what was to be done. They anticipated the subscription 
as a dtmsiie [disaster]. Up to now we have not managed to secure 
even one proper bank as a subscription agent. A first class boy- 
cott on the part of Jewish high finance. 

We agTerd that unleu help came to us from the Kaiser or the 
Grand Duke, we would be in hot water. I explained to the gentle- 
men my intention of asking the Grand Duke to persuade the 
Kaiser by telegram to receive me. Wolffsohn and Kann had en 
route agreed on what they should demand from me. scil. what I 
ihoiild demand of the princes. Their demand: The Deutsche 

Bank at Berlin should be appointed to act as a subscription 

agnwy. 


• • • 


*——“-7 “billing, ai icn Of iota slurp, 1 arose up in iront o 
castle, in a small town gala coach which is presumably use< 

k* weddings 


0*** again I passed through the proud entrance hall into the 
ante-chamber where, three years ago. the flags of 1870 in 
. casings had so stupefied me. By now I was more 

10 wch sights, nor did I have any more palpitation when an 


***** * rrtnmtt u> ihr RO1I1 or CrAiU, a mmUrm in thr Uri 
**U|Tirt 1 , * ,Un ' 1, ****•• »cwdu»* 10 ihr Wilhelm Tell Irjrod rrp»nmuti*m 
Unirrsraldea met In 1907 10 nmt ihr ftOlU Oaih. on whkli 


788 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

officer in court dress asked me to step from the gTeen waiting 
room into the red salon. 

Ten minutes later the good Grand Duke opened the door. 

March 4 . Vienna 

The Orient Express had rattling carriages this time, my foun- 
tain pen was bad, and so I was not able to jot down the repon 
en route. At home, however, I first had to take care of the every- 
day affairs and revise the letters to the Grand Duke and the 
Kaiser, which finally went off yesterday after hard work. 

This way the first freshness of the notes is lost. 

The good Grand Duke, then, opened the door of hit study 
where 1 had been three years ago. He greeted me in his cordial, 
gentle manner, and invited me to sit down opposite him, at 
the desk, 

I gave him a report and submitted my new plan involving his 
undertaking the protectorate over the land conquny. 

1 he idea seemed to make a favorable impression on him; in 
fact, he even indicated his inclination in no uncertain lenns. 
However, the Kaiser would have to give his consent. He recom- 
mended that I discuss the matter with Financ e Minister Miquel 
in Berlin. After all, it would be indispensable for the project 
that we enjoy the protection of the Prussian monarchy. In Prus- 
sia they would not like the idea of one of the federal stales hav- 
ing such major financial undertakings. He could give me many 
an instance of this— for example, the trouble they were making 
over the permission for the Baden lottery. So, to sum up, I 
ought to speak with Miquel. I also divined the feeling of the 
erman government from his words of friendly reserve. They 
want us to complete the arrangements first, acquire land and 
*ctt ers privileges then we should ask for and obtain the pro- 
tectorate. One can t be any more cautious and prudent than that. 
c on y thing to be said against it is that once we have got that 
. we s a no longer need the onerous German protectorate. 


XHE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 789 

Vet I accept further negotiations on this basis, because I must 
accept everything and because negotiations, even though they 
but be hopeless, have value for us. So I said that I intended to 
■ire the Kaiser and request an audience for the following day. 

The Grand Duke advised me to address the telegram to Lu- 
anus. I had been with him for an hour, and half an hour previ- 
ouilya Minister had had himself announced. Therefore the good 
Grand Duke terminated the audience, but told me that, since 
I ns staying until evening. I could call on him again. 

1 drove to the hotel, told Wolffsohn and Kann what liad hap- 
pened. and sent a long, urgent telegram, the request for the audi- 
ence, to Lucan us. 

At about four o'clock in the afternoon the reply came. The 
Luser could not receive me tomorrow, because he was just about 
to go away. I should speak with Minister of State von Bulow. 

A rejection, then, since Billow is antagonistic. 

Rten n’arrwe ni comme on le cratnt ni com me on teipere 
[Nothing happens as one fears, nor as one hopes]. These words 
boned through my head during the whole trip. 

Before 1 left to see the Grand Duke again. Wolffsohn and Kann 
told me to be sure to ask for a recommendation to the Deutsche 
Bad in Berlin, for they had not managed so far to get a (sank 
b* the subscription to the Jewish Colonial Bank. Everything. 
*WTythmg / am supposed to do. 

Again I drove to the palace. The Grand Duke admitted me 
■■Aldy. This time we conversed in the red salon, where 
^ Bangs an old portrait showing a sensitive, enthusiastic 
*«h «n the dress of the 1840 s. I believe it is his portrait. 

I pvc him Luranus’ telegram and indicated that my hopes had 
greatly. He consoled me and expressed the expectation 
energies would not diminish. I reminded him of his 
M ^ >ou dam when he had recounted to me the difficulties 

• on the founding of the German Empire. 

^ *** u *d. "and when the thing is finished, one has to 

* and relinquish everything to others, who were formerly 


790 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 

opponent*. But one must be content with the inner satisfaction, 
and also with the fact that one meets strong characters such as 
you." 

As he said this he gave my hand a long squeeze. I was deeply 
touched. 

As for the recommendation to the Deutsche Bank, he gave it to 
me most readily after I first mentioned it. He asked how the 
recommendation should read. I requested it in the form of a 
letter to me, and he promised this. 

Messieurs Wolffsohn and Kann were very much satisfied with 
this outcome. Then we dined in our hotel drawingroom and 
afterwards went out to hear some music. When we returned at 
half-past ten, no letter from the Grand Duke had arrived yet 
We went to bed a bit anxiously. But at 1 1:30 there was a knock 
on my door; it was a court lackey. The entire hotel staff, re- 
spectfully gathered on the stairs, watched him deliver a letter 
from their sovereign to me. I immediately informed Wolffsohn. 
who slept better as a result. 

At 4 o’clock the next morning we had to get out of the hay. 
At five I boarded the Orient Express to Vienna: Wolffsohn and 
Kann took the letter with them to Cologne and were scheduled 
to go from Cologne to Berlin that evening. 

On the trip home I went through the same sensations that I 
have had so often. The closer I come to the Neue Freie Presse, 
the smaller I become. At the same time, some uneasiness ovct 
whether a row was not in store for me on account of my repeated 
absence. A fail n'en n’arrive ni comme on le craint ni com me 0* 
Pesp}re [But nothing happens as one fears, nor as one hopes]. 

I arrived in Vienna in the evening, and went to the office first. 
My masters were almost gTacious and joked affably about my trip 
the purpose of which I kept silent about. 

On the second day telegrams from Wolffsohn in Berlin arris eA 
in the agreed upon ctide: “Deebee” for "Deutsche Bank." 

They had spoken for 11^ hours with Director Siemens; he 
going to speak with his administrative board. But Wolfeoh* 
and Kann were under no illusion that this wasn't a refusal A 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER7.L 791 

it was. He wrote them a rejection. Thereupon they had one more 
unsuccessful! conference with him and went back to Cologne. 
There the Schaafhausen Banking Association again rejected the 

proposal. 

Today's telegrams from Wolffsohn sound very resigned: I 
wired him something like the following, sharpened by a passage 
which I hope he will not resent, saying that if we two didn't pro- 
ceed energetically now, we would be incompetents. 

D. Wolffsohn. Karol ingerring. Cologne. 

Conference with Siemens after rejection of Deebee pointless 
and undignified. Try Dresdener Bank. If refusal, immediately so 
organize subscription that Broad Street Avenue becomes center. 
Everything must simply be directed there. If Broad Street not 
allowed to accept down payments only registrations should be 
duected there, but down-payments should lie made at same places 
that served for preliminary subscription. Awaiting wired report 
on this. Every moment missed now means irreparable loss. 

(Wolffsohn had wired me that I should speak with Siemens, 
who will be in town tomorrow, but I don't feel like it, because 
we have already been turned down.) 

Letter to the Grand Duke: 

March 1, '99 

four Royal Highness: 

Once again 1 must express my sincerest and most respectful 
thanks for the encouragement I received from Your Royal High- 
ness during my visit. The protectorate which I dared to request 
** already in virtual existence, our enterprise already enjoys the 

protection of the noblest prince. May it one day become plain 
tor all to see. 

Today I will write a report for His Majesty the Kaiser and 
ness to it to Herr von Lucanus. In this report I should like to 
•ate the proposals I took the liberty of making to Your 
Highness and to request an audience within the coming 
r the purpose of documenting and implementing the 




792 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

plan which is now ready in its altered form. In this way, through 
one of its federal rulers, Germany could assure herself of influence 
in the cause which may assume tome importance in the future. 
And yet, through the circumstance that the initial practical itepi 
are being taken by an enterprise based in England, any prema- 
ture arousal of jealously would be avoided. A fait accompli 
could be prepared and established in all secrecy, and its proc- 
lamation would be reserved for the most opportune moment. 
The domiciling, according to civil law, of the land company 
which is to be created later, at Karlsruhe for example, would then 
depend on the political circumstances. 

However, to connect permanently the so highly respected 
name of Your Royal Highness with this project would be an act 
of historic justice, provided that what we are attempting to do 
will receive a place in history. 

With the expression of my sincerest gratitude and deepest 
respect, I remain 

Your Royal Highness’ most obedient servant. 

Dr. Th. H. 


• • • 

Your Imperial and Royal Majesty, 

Most Gracious Kaiser and Lord: 

From Karlsruhe, where His Royal Highness the Grand Duke 
did me the favor of accepting my detailed reports, I took the 
liberty upon his exalted advice of requesting by telegram an audi- 
ence with Your Majesty. 

The reasons for this are the following. 

Having received no word whatever since the Palestine journey 
about the assumption of the protectorate, which had previously 
been intended, I had to supfxise that political difficulties had 
arisen. I he mistrust of the Sultan and the jealousy of other 
powers seem to have manifested themselves. Must the imple- 
mentation of a plan with a future therefore be given up? 1 faUf 
understand that the Imperial government will not risk an en 
tanglement on our account. But would it not be possible to find 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 793 

an arrangement through which the goal would be attained in- 
conspicuously and surely? 

Such an arrangement 1 have permitted myself to submit to 
His Royal Highness. It is this: First we create a corporate body 
in England which will take the preparatory steps and, moyennant 
finances [for a financial consideration], acquire lands and set- 
llen’ rights from the Turkish government. On the basis of such 
concessions the actual Chartered Company • will then be formed 
—and, circumstances permitting, with its legal headquarters at 
Karlsruhe and under the protection of His Royal Highness Grand 
Duke Friedrich. There will automatically result from this a 
political relationship of protection by the Empire, one to which 
there can be no objection from third panies. 

No express declaration on the part of the Imperial government 
is required for this; in fact, we could be disavowed without 
further ado, as operating on our own, just as the English govern- 
ment was able to do with Cecil Rhodes at any time. Naturally 
there are big different es between Sir Cecil Rhodes and my hum- 
ble self, the personal ones very much in my disfavor, but the 
objective ones gTeatly in favor of our movement, which has at 
its disposal a different kind of capital and, most of all, tremen- 
dous human resources in all of Eastern Europe. 

I'nfonunately Your Imperial Majesty did not see the activity 
of our colonists already in existence in Palestine. The sight of 
the Jews jammed together in Jerusalem is not a pleasant one. 
But even these Jews would like to get out in the country and till 

»il, if, strangely enough, the Turkish government did not 
prohibit iL 

To my sorrow I must fear many another incorrect report. I 
believe that Your Majesty's counsellors occasionally hear disparag- 
es remarks about our movement especially from Jews who do 

noc *fi*re my views. 

The explanation for this is simple. A good number of rich 
ei/ End • Jews are worried that we might take them with us; 
** ** *^7 *hey try ( 0 make us ridiculous or despicable in their 

* ln Install In (he origin*! 



794 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

conversation and their newspapers. Methinks, however, that this 
very kind of opposition must recommend us. 

Our endeavor has many aspects. One of them is the absorption 
of the Jewish elements that will remain in every country. But 
I believe that the adjustment to the national body should not 
be attempted through the process of revolution. The way to 
complete assimilation can probably lead only through the estab- 
lished church. 

Only those are to go along who cannot or will not assimilate 
at their present places of residence — this is our principle. Those 
who remain behind will of necessity be even better citizens. No 
more unnatural alliances between iron safes and petroleum bar- 
rels. 

The value of our movement for social betterment has no more 
remained concealed from Your Imperial Majesty than has its 
value for colonial policy. Actually, our movement would be strong 
enough even if it drew not one man or one penny from Germany. 
Our resources are in Russia, Rumania, Galicia. England, Amer- 
ica, and South Africa. Nevertheless, Germany can, in a way 
which shall be kept secret for the time being and will even later 
involve no obligation, assure herself of influence for the future 
and at the very beginning of our colonization gain an industrial 
market of the first magnitude. The sole prerequisite is that we 
be able to organize in Germany. 

I understand that written declarations may not be expected 
on this subject the way it stands today. Therefore I herewith 
venture once again most respectfully to request an audience after 
Your Majesty’s return. I very badly need encouragement at this 
particular time. Then I will move on, attempt to win the favor 
of the Emperor of Russia, and not return again until I can pre- 
sent you the completed matter. On the other hand, failure to 
grant me an audience would be a de facto sign to me that we 
need not hope for even secret and non-binding panic ipaiion any 
longer. 

The idea I serve has already touched a gyrat monarch in this 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 795 

century: Napoleon the hirst. The Paris Sanhedrin of the Jews 
in the year 1806 was, to be sure, a last gasp of this idea. 

Was the matter not yet ripe at that time, was there no resolute 
representative of the Jews, was it due to the paucity of means of 
communication? 

Our time, however, is under the sign of communication! to 

use a phrase that has become a household word. 9 

The Jewish Question must be brought under this sign; this 
is how it can be solved. And what was not possible under 
Napoleon I is possible under Wilhelm HI 
With my deepest respect, I remain 
Your Imperial and Royal Majesty’s most obedient servant, 

Dr. Th. H. 

• • • 

Covering letter to Lucanus: 

Your Excellency: 

1 permit myself to express my sincere gratitude to you for your 
kind telegraphic reply to Karlsruhe. 

1 have written the enclosed letter to His Majesty the Kaiser, 
containing a request to grant me an audience as soon as possible, 
*t the suggestion of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of 
Baden. Important things are in the making. 

Since I am permitting myself the hope of being ordered to 
Berlin by His Majesty in the near future, I have postponed my 
all on Minuter of State von Bulow, which you kindly rccom- 
"^ded to me, until that time. 

Begging Your Excellency to accept the expression of my ev 

te *m, I am 

Respectfully yours. 
Dr. Th. H. 

• ^ olr ^ rTT * remind* ihr kiurt at an Inarriptioa die Litter wrote 

W p*«rated 10 Dr. von Vq-han. (he Orman fwimitirt General, 

7 - “Die Hell am fnde det if. Jehthundertt tlekl uniet dem 

Hj • T’erlrJln. £, dmrthbruhl die Uhimnken, trek he die V Alter irrnnen, 

^ j JJ* **iaram den k'eitonen neue Bruehengen « ’ (The world at (he 
l %t\ m ~ crn,ur T L* under the aign of communication. It break* through 

W U1 * d 1 **de people* and rttabllahe* new con net t ion* among (he nation*) 




796 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

March 4 

Kokesch came back from London today. The horrible English 
legal work is now completed. The authorizations of the directors 
and members of the Council must be sealed; the unsealed ones, 
which we got together by the skin of our teeth, are not sufficient. 
Another loss of lime; yet the subscription, on which so much 
depends, draws near. Today I gave orders not to delay any further 
and simply undertake the subscription at the Jewish Colonial 
IJank in London itself. La dernihe cartouche [The last round of 
ammunition]. I am afraid it will be a failure — mais rien n’arrivc 
ni comme on le craint ni comma on Vespire [but nothing hap 
pens as one fears, nor as one hopes]. 

The Bank is the hardest part of the work so far. If it worb 
out, afterwards not a soul will suspect what we have gone 
through, how much energy it has required. For we actually have 
a boycott of the big bankers against us. If I ever get my hands on 
them, I'll give them a good going-over. 


March 10 

I-ast Monday the Sonn- und Montagszeilung carried an item 
to the effect that the Turkish ambassador, Mahmud Nedim, had 
been called to Constantinople, because a financial agent had at- 
tempted extortion from him and the Sultan. 

I o learn something about this I went to sec Newlinski. 

He guessed why I had come, but, since I didn't mention it. 
he didn’t speak about it. I asked him, in order to orient myself, 
whether he would be able to go to Constantinople. He said he 
would, but added that it was hard, because once he was there, the 
Sultan wouldn't let him go— that is, not for four or five months; 
this is how much of a favorite he is with the Sultan. The matter 
would require further thought. Meanwhile, he said, he could 
give me the welcome news that we had gained a new helper in 
the person of Artin Pasha, the State Secretary in the foreign 
Office, who was back in favor again. Proof: letters from Danuiso 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 797 

about conversations with Artin, who is willing to submit a mem- 
orandum on Zionism to the Sultan. 


March 10 

Getting the signatures of the directors, governors, councilors 
for the prospectus involves enormous difficulties. Some refuse 
to sign at the last moment— for instance, Ussishkin, the author 
of the Lex Ussishkin at the Second Congress. 

Today, 18 days before the subscription, it is still doubtful 
whether we shall manage the signatures for the prospectus! 

Go “parade in state" with this.* 


March 10 

Yesterday I received a refusal from Lucan us. 

The Kaiser, he wrote, regretted being unable to receive me 
in the near future and left it to my discretion to discuss things 
with Minister of State Billow. 

Th* rejection, then, which I said in advance would be some- 
thing de facto, too. 


• • • 

Letter to Bulow; 

Your Excellency; 

About two weeks ago His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of 
B*den advised me to direct a request for an audience to His 
Majesty the Kaiser, in order to stir up the dormant Palestine mat- 
•W- I did so, and received word from Herr von Luranus to get 
1 touch with Your F.xrellency. Accordingly I shall take the 
oeny during my next stay in Berlin to ask you for a conference 
""•fitch, however, will probably not get beyond the academic. 
Uf I believe. Your Excellency, that you are not in favor of the 
Ptoject. I have been fully aw*arc of this since the moment I first 

( Now Moil, pun li board on the phutr Stool mat hen, which 

Urn, IT T. W ot “ahem oT-; but he ©hvkmolj hod the Jewiab 

(We) in mind u well 



798 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF I HEODOR HERZL 

had the honor to convene with you about Zionism. On the one 
hand, you consider the difficulties in Turkey and the resistance 
of various interested parties as too great; on the other, you re- 
gard the inclination of the Jews to emigrate as too slight. A 
responsible statesman must view a movement whose lofty char- 
acter he may not entirely dislike du point de vue de I’art [from 
an artistic point of view] with the greatest coldness and even dis- 
trust. This much I understand. 

However, Your Excellency, I believe that you have been un- 
favorably informed by our opponents, particularly our Jewish 
opponents. Our movement is a great deal stronger than, fur 
a number of reasons, it appears to lie. 

That the rich Jews do not personally want to go along is well 
known. It would be worse if they did go — I don't mean just for 
us, but for the countries concerned. 

Popular rage and popular humor, it is true, arc directed 
against Herr Kommenienrat • but his departure would be a low 
not only to the humorous journals. His amassed wealth should 
disintegrate right where it is: through marriages, wastrels, awl 
in other natural ways. 

A solution of the Jewish Question which promises such an 
assimilation as well as the draining off of the socially and eco- 
nomically frustrated and nearly despairing elements should per- 
haps not be rejected out of hand. 

But even if Herr Kommenienrat does not want to make a 
personal sacrifice (later on, during the pleasant season, he will 
make a little excursion to Palestine, when the hotels have the 
comforts of the Riviera), he will have no objections to poor 
devils and fools like me going and staying there. For this he is 
even ready to make financial "sacrifices”; I have it directly from 
him. 

This attitude is comical, like most human weaknesses, but at 
any rate it is human. Who is not an opportunist? 

• Tranilator't Note Literally. "Mr. Commercial Councilor," an honorifc »»** 
awarded to butinewmen lor (pedal arrvice* to ihe government, lu doae* An*n 
can equivalent would be a "Kentucky Colonel.” 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 799 

Similar forces are at work on various newspapers with which 
1 am well acquainted. The fact that they are not on my side in 
tbc nutter is surprising to Your Excellency, even makes you bc- 
|jfre that our movement is insignificant. However, the more nu- 
merous the Jews on such a newspaper, the more they have to be 
afraid that people will reject their criticism of Germany, Austria, 
etc., with the shout 'To Palestine!” And at the present time they 
mil believe they cannot do anything smarter than criticize. Why 
don't 1 create a big counter journal myself? Because that would 
be another story, as Kipling says. With such a paper one has to 
be on the job day and night, as with a boiler, and cannot under- 
take anything else. That is why I have declined offers of this 
kind, including one made to me three years ago by our govern- 
ment. 

Your Excellency, I don't know how funny it may sound when 
I ny that 1 want to solve the Jewish Question. To me it seems 
mtible, and I believe that the Zionist idea will make its way. 

F»en soon, in a matter of a few years. All indications point to 

h. 


If our project failed, hundreds of thousands of our adherents 
would at one swoop change over to the revolutionary parties; 
this too is a natural thing. 

Cet animal eit trii m/chant: il se d/fend lortqu'on Vattaque 
[Thu animal is very vicious; it defends itself when it is attacked). 

But our project must succeed — I am tempted to say, just as 
^•oand two make four.* Turkey needs the same Jews that are 

wanted elsew here. 

TfcTurks are incapable of remedying the present wretched 

, r country. Occupation by any Power would not 

infidel??! Y iljf olhm common crusades against the 

oeweni th^K VUL CT °“ “ n ° W P rrha l* ,CM against the 

™ cross i. against the symbols of other 

«t the krw (VtU ' 44mm U a reference to the 

^wdCotkaj (itj, »uthort«y Hu tnfluti couainput 


800 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR IIERZL 

Christian churches. But Palestine has also become a traffic prob- 
lem, because it constitutes the shortest way to India 9 — nay, the 
shortest southern route to all Asia, since the new northern one 
is in the exclusive possession of Russia. Prom the Mediterranean 
coast to the Persian Gulf a railroad will be, must be, constructed 
which only the Jews can build. After all, by now one knows what, 
oddly enough, was not known as recently as thirty yean ago in 
the chancelleries of the slates: what a short route like the Suei 
Canal means. The solution of the Palestinian Question— I no 
longer say “Jewish Question” — is a complement of the mow re- 
cent happenings in Asia. 

Now, 1 have had the good fortune to meet with approval of 
this idea on the part of His Majesty the Kaiser. The prospect of 
a German protectorate was held out to us. Hut it did not ma- 
terialize. In fact, our expedition to Palestine was almost a fail- 
ure. One little unofficial despatch from the telegraphic newv 
agency simply reduced our audience in the encampment at 
Jerusalem to nothing. 

I kept silent about this, as was my duty after the confidence 
I had been shown. 

Today, then, the question presents itself differently. 

Have we nothing more whatever to hope for from the German 
Imperial government, or is it simply that open support for us is 
not intended, for reasons that I do not know but can guess? 
If the latter is the case, i.e., secret support is regarded as admissi- 
ble, I would make proposals in Berlin. I quote from my letter 
to His Majesty my new combination: 

"First we create a corporate body. . . " (p. 795 ). up to 
“• • . required for this." 

It is an enormous difficulty for us that we have no firm point 
around which we can organize. 

Lacking this, we need some existing organization which would 
offer us certain technical facilities. We have many letters, but 
no mail. 


• In English in ih« original. 


the COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 801 

That is why I was willing to pay the high postage of the pro- 
tectorate. I don’t know whether we shall still apply for a protec- 
torate later, when we have seen things through without any 
Hipport: it will presumably no longer be up to me to the extent 
tiut it is today. Of all conceivable protectorates, I would still pre- 
fer the German, if only for the reason that German would 
then be spoken over there. 

But perhaps in the meantime we shall have to commit our- 
selves elsewhere. 

I am not worried about our ability finally to manage things 
all by ourselves, provided our will remains firm. It is only a 
matter of lost time. Perhaps this will make our enterprise loom 
larger in the judgment of future times; for glory increases with 
difficulties. But we would rather become less famous and get to 
the real work of colonization sooner. 

Since I rarely indulge in illusions, I do not expect Your 
Excellency to be converted lay my remar Ls of today. Should you 
have anything to tell me or wish any oral information, your call 
will find me ready to come to Berlin at any time. 

Otherwise I shall postpone this visit until my way takes me 
there. 

' our E**clleney to accept the expression of my deep- 

topect, I am 

Your obedient servant. 
Dr. Th. H. 

After the recall, dated March 18 . 

H is Exc ellency. Minister of State von Bulow, 

S^roary in the Foreign Office. Berlin. 


~ crann Uuke of Baden: 

After the recall, dated March .7. 

Royal Highn cm: 

I hpriti ' 

the Kaiirr *° rc P° n most respectfully that His Majesty 

Ct mrt ^ m y inquest for an audience and has re- 



802 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER/l 

fcircd me to Minister of State von Bulow. Since, for the sake of 
greater clarity, I had remarked in my request for an audience 
that I would regard a failure to grant it as a de facto rejection 
also, I know now where I stand. Herr von Bulow, whom 1 p ro . 
foundly admire as an ingenious and skillful statesman, is never- 
theless, if my observation does not deceive me, antagonistic to 
our cause. Nothing, I believe, can be expected from that fjuarter. 
This is why I am not going to Berlin. 

But unfortunately, the recommendation to the Deutsche Bank 
in Berlin, which Your Royal Highness gave me with such gra- 
cious alacrity, has produced no result either. I sent two of our 
financial men to Berlin, to negotiate with Herr Siemens, the di- 
rector. He turned down their proposals. 

So I can only assume that a hope which was uncommonly dear 
to me has vanished, and that we shall not attain our goal under 
a German protectorate. I regTet this more than I can tell you. 

Your Royal Highness to accept the expression of my 
heartfelt respect and continued sincere gratitude, I am 

Your very obedient servant 
Dr. Th. H. 

Insert (cf. p. 801): 

" That is why. . . to "commit ourselves elsewhere." 


March 14, at night 

This insert is responsible for my wiring Wolffsohn to hold 
this letter, which I had sent off via Cologne, and my making a 
fresh copy from Sheet II on. This evening, while I was listening 
to Hechler’s speech about the Palestine journey, it suddenly oc- 
curred to me that the joke about the high postage of the pro- 
tectorate could be interpreted as a presumption in bad taste. 

• • • 

Telegrams from the Bank Committee reach me en mauc. 
Gaster and Bentwich are said to be making trouble. I simply 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 803 

can't understand it. What docs Gaster, who is only authorized to 
sign for us, want? 

In the evening Hcyman reported that Bentwich was asking 
150 pounds sterling for putting his name on the prospectus. If 
this is true, I shall throw Bentwich out with scorn and loathing 
and kick him out of the party. 

• • • 


March 16, evening 

Disagreeable telegrams from London during the day. Gaster, 
they said, in whose name all authorizations were made out, is 
refusing to give the signature needed for the registration. 

I sent Gaster a categorical telegram in which I gave him a piece 
of ray mind. I told him that he could only deprive us of 300 
guilders and three, albeit precious, days. For if need be, Kokesch 
would be there on Monday morning and provide the signature, 
since the authorizations were made out jointly in his name too. 

Thereupon Wolffsohn reported in the evening that Gaster had 
complied. 


• • • 

Today I went to see Newlinski, who is ready to go to the 
Grand Turk. I very much desire it, but only if his doctor declares 
that it could not harm his badly shattered health. Incidentally, 
I suspect that a trip to the South has been prescribed for him. 
We shall send along young Dr. Poborski as his medical traveling 
companion. 


March 18 

The journalist Bcn-Yehuda from Jerusalem came to see me. 
A short red haired Jew from the Orient. 1 am beginning to be- 
come acquainted with the various Jewish types. He is long- 
winded in his narratives and seems to have some ulterior motive. 

But I learned from him quite a bit about the sentiment in 
Turkey toward Zionism. 





804 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

He said that in the Orient everybody was afraid of everybody 
else. The people were a wild animal that could be unleashed, but 
also could be steered in any direction. If the authorities give 
a signal, the Mohammedans will fall upon the Jews — system of 
hatchet-men, as with the Armenians. This is my long-felt argu- 
ment against infiltration. 

In the higher baksheesh circles there is timid discussion of 
Zionism. Everything depends on the Sultan. Even the Grand 
Vizier is only a lackey. 

The American Ambassador, Straus, is said to be secretly well- 
disposed toward Zionism, Ben-Yehuda assures me. 

The Mutessarif of Jerusalem, he said, was an affable gentleman 
and had asked him why he didn’t edit an Arabic newspaper. I 
asked Ben-Yehuda how much he would need for that. An annual 
subvention of 2000 francs. I told him to write me about it in the 
middle of May, perhaps I would get him that amount. (I feel 
that if the Bank comes into being it will be worth that much to it 
to have an Arabic voice which finds favor with the Mutessarif 
and influences the people in the proper way.) 

• • • 

Wrote Kellner about a matter which has been in my mind for 
a good long time. 1 want to start a press bureau here with news 
from the Orient for Western newspapers, especially English ones. 
Kellner is to lay the groundwork in london, and the thing is to 
be launched in the autumn. It will Ik* an instrument of power 
either for or against Turkey. 

Le sabre pour ou contre la stcuritt publique [The sword for 
or against public safety]. 

The Bank! “Yes, everyone clings to, everyone rushes after, 
gold." • Actually, the entire further course of the movement de- 
pends on the success of the subscription which I have promoted 
in every way. 

They all demanded the postponement of the subscription, 

* T »"■!»»»•• Ncxc: ~Am Gold , hdngl. noth Gold* dtingl doth 
mu<|uotaiicin from Goethr't Fautl, Pori I. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 805 

which was not ripe yet and had been dragged out by the diffi- 
culties of registration. Last week I had been softened up for a 
moment and was about to agree to the postponement. My 
father expressed himself against it — this reminded me of the days 
before the publication of The Jewish Stale, another occasion 
when at the decisive moment I found in him the support to 
stand firm. This strengthened me this lime, too. We shall stick 
to March «8th. But the subscription will extend over jo days. 

According to the telegrams, pandemonium seems to have 
reigned in London the last few days. Wolffsohn traveled back 
and forth. Today he is in Ixmdon again. This is the day on 
which the whole thing is to be registered, and under the name 
"The Jewish Colonial Trust (Judtsche Kolonialbank) Limited.” 

The name Trust was forced through by Bcniwich and Caster, 
by the latter under serious violation of the instructions he had 
accepted from the out-of-town members of the Council. What 
they [want] with the name Trust. . . .* 


March 24 

Alex Marmorek reports that Bernard Lazare wants to resign 
from the Vienna Committee, because he foresees a bust of the 
subscription and with it the collapse of the movement. lanre 
has heard from Poznanski that the latter does not intend to keep 
up his subscription. 

I immediately wrote Nordau an indignant letter about I-a- 
zare’s cautelous policy. I.azare is said to have declared that he 
wanted to "keep leaders in reserve for the Jewish people in case 
ihe present leaders fail.” 

I asked Nordau to remonstrate with l-azare. so as to avoid a 
scandal. 


• • • 

Meanwhile rumors have spread here that the Hovevei Zion 
were planning a major action against me and political Zionism 
11 *heir meeting in Paris. 

* Tnmbujr i N’otr Srntmcr uolifiiM w 


806 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Blochs Wochenschrift publishes the following Paris news 
from Landau’s venal pen: 

[Editorial:] [ v *VI, P- *46 ] 

The Delegate Conference of the Zionist Federation at Paris. 

Before the Meeting. 

(By Our Special Correspondent) 

Paris, March 17 

The conference of delegates called by the Central Committee of 
the Zionist Federations has definitely been set for the 19th of 
this month. Delegates have already arrived from England, Ger- 
many, and Austria, and those of other countries are being ex- 
pected. Brain, brawn, and bankbooks will be represented at the 
meeting. The promotion of large-scale colonization in Palestine 
is now to go forward. 

This very city of Paris is the residence of those personalities 
who are willing to carry through the colonization of Palestine on 
a large scale, and one need look no farther for the resources re- 
quired for it. 

Now we mention first of all that great friend of Zion 

Baron Edmond Rothschild. His great services to colonization in 
Palestine and his immense sacrifices are well known. HoweveT, it 
would not lie correct to present him as a mere benefactor. Baron 
Rothschild’s actions are motivated by a great idea, the idea of 
bringing ever greater masses of Jews into the land of their fore- 
fathers, in order there to create for them opportunities for earn- 
ing a living and to regenerate them morally and economically, 
as was proved by his address to the colonists during his most re- 
cent stay in Palestine. However, Baron Rothschild, who is inti- 
mately acquainted with conditions in Turkey, does not consider 
it necessary to make a stir and cause a sensation; he simply i* 
not concerned with publicity, but with action. For instance, f° r 
a considerable period of time he has been making efforts to pur* 
chase the antiquated harbor of Caesarea, in order to renovate it 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 807 

and make it the base for Jewish immigration and Jewish export 

a deed whose importance to the realization of the Zionist idea 

can only be called immense. The deal was almost completed 
when the journey of the German Raiser interfered and the latter 
requested Caesarea from the Sultan as a German coaling-station. 
In this connection certain people will of course insist on assert- 
ing that the German Kaiser is the most zealous protector of Zion- 
ism. Let us hope, however, that the Baron who, unconcerned 
about the sniping Dorn certain "Zionist’’ quarters, is proceeding 
with the execution of the great work, will also succeed in ac- 
quiring Caesarea in addition to other concessions he has been 
promised during his last stay in Constantinople. 

Baron Rothschild is also doing his best to encourage the Gali- 
cian colony "Mahanayim.” and he has instructed his newly- 
appointed inspector, M. Barbier, who is leaving for Palestine in 
a few weeks, to transform the Kaba soil of this colony into an 
olive grove. 

A second eminently important personality is 

Af. Narcisse //wn. During the time that he has been presi- 
dent both of the Jewish Colonization Association and of the 
Central Committee of the Zionist Federations he has placed the 
multiple millions of the society at the service of Palestine colo- 
nization. Apart from the numerous subventions to colonies al- 
ready in existence, we owe it to him that the Jewish Colonisation 
Association has recently purchased 40,000 dunams in Palestine 
(Sejerah), in order to settle Palestine Jews as farmers there. This 
enclave has room for 400 families. The kushans Hand-register 
transfers) have just arrived. The Jewish Colonisation Association 
has granted four million francs for the establishment of the 
Sejerah colony. 

I will mention but a few others: Zadoc Kahn, the Grand Rabbi 
of France, who is a member of both executive committees and 
supports the cause of colonization; Prof. Josef Hal&vy, and so on. 

These men will be joined at the meeting by others who have 
demonstrated through years of self-sacrificing devotion in the 
most diverse countries how very sacred the colonization project in 



808 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER 2 L 

Palestine is to them. And it is precisely the purpose of the con- 
ference of delegates to safeguard it, expand it, and protea it 
against rash interference on the part of va banque [all-or-noth- 
ing] — gamblers. 


• • • 

After the Meeting. 

(By Our Special Correspondent). 

Paris, March *o 

The hopes and expectations which true friends of Zion every- 
where attached to the conference of delegates may be regarded 
as entirely fulfilled. What has for years been striven for by prac- 
tical-minded Zionists, who prefer practical deeds to mere talk— 
namely, winning the support of the "Jewish Colonisation Associa- 
tion for the colonization of Palestine — has now been achieved. 
Only if one considers that the "Jewish Colonisation Association’' 
has over 200 million francs at its disposal, about four times as 
much as the "Colonial Trust" has yet to raise, will one appre- 
ciate the full import of the fact that the "Jewish Colonisation 
Association now regards Palestine as the main scene of us colo- 
nizing activity and is making the funds available for it. 

This is the significant success of yesterday's conference of dele- 
gates. It will certainly be learned with joy in Austria and particu- 
larly in (>alicia that the conference has decided to allot 40,000 
francs to the Galician colony "Mahanayim." thus fulfilling the 
condition on which the "Jewish Colonisation Association" made 
its subvention of 80,000 francs dependent. This fully gurantees 
t e Mahanayim colony and shows up the ridiculousness of 
t osc prophets who predicted that this colony would collapse. 
The sympathy and the support which the Galician society 
avas Zion and its endeavors have encountered among the 
ocal powers are also a personal triumph for Dr. Salz and ample 
compensation for many an insult that Dr. Herzl has recently in- 
M'cted on him in his mean and petty jealousy. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 809 

As regards the relationship between the "Jewish Colonisation 
Association” and the Central Committee on one hand and the 
Herzl party and the "Colonial Trust” on the other, this is best 
shown by the following fact: 

Some time ago Mr. Wolffsohn, who is virtually assured of be- 
ing the first director of the Bank and is moving to London, was 
in Paris in order to win over Narcisse Leven for the "Trust.” 
The latter declared, however, that it was not necessary to found 
a bank, for there was plenty of money on hand that was available 
for all serious colonizing and industrial enterprises in Palestine. 
However, they should submit concrete proposals and plans to 
him. But this was not done. Instead, the "Jewish Colonisation 
Association” is now sending a secretary to Palestine for several 
months in order to study conditions there. 

One of the most important nutters on the agenda was the 
question of the reorganization of the Central Committee and 
of propaganda. On this point, however, most of the decisions have 
for the present not been made public. But this much can be said 
even now, the Central Committee has been expanded through 
new personalities from various countries. Among those who have 
been added to the old members like Narcisse Leven, Zadoc Kahn, 
Dr. Hildesheimer, Bain bus. Colonel Goldsmid. etc., are the well- 
known gynecologist Professor landau, the wholesale merchant 
Israel of Berlin. Sir Josef Sebag Montefiore of London, and Ber- 
nard lazare, who has already resigned from the V ienna Actions 
Committee. Another new member from Austria is Dr. Salz, one 
of two additional members from Vienna whose appointment has 
been decided on. 

It was further decided to set up an Executive Committee in 
Berlin, to take charge of propaganda and implement the decisions 
of the Central Committee. 

A report was also presented about the favorable development 
°f the Kastinie colony, which was founded by the Central Com- 
mittee. and it was observed that the grnin harvest alone netted 
the colonists 40,000 francs last year. For this colony a credit of 
up to 300,000 francs was granted. 




810 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

This much in haste about the work of the conference which 
was guided by love and self-sacrificing devotion to the Jewish 
people, but also by real manly seriousness. And the fruits of such 
labors will surely not fail to appear either. 

L 


• • • 

In the next number of the Welt I plan to write a reply in 
which this turn of events will be flatly described as what it is: a 
victory of my ideas. 


March t 6 

Alex Marmorek arrived here yesterday and gave a rather ex- 
cited report on the happenings in Paris. B. I^azare did not keep 
his word to him, for he had promised not to announce his resig- 
nation from the Y'ienna Committee before the end of the sub- 
scription; and now that scoundrel landau has already announced 
it in Bloch’s smear sheet. 

(Incidentally, I have had an advertisement of the prospectus of 
the Colonial Trust given to Bloch. For one hundred guilders 
that man of honor accepted it.) 

• • • 

Overnight a new plan of action occurred to roc. I am having 
Alex Marmorek write Nordau to tell Levcn the following. 

I did not have sufficient confidence in the willingness of the 
Paris gentlemen and the I.C.A., and that is why I did not give 
them any details about my negotiations with the German gov- 
ernment. Now that I have learned of their decision to go to 
Palestine, I am ready to come to Paris and submit the secret 
documents to them — under the following conditions: 

The conference is to be attended by Narcitse Leven, Mmond 
Rothschild, and Zadoc Kahn from the other side, and from our 
side, in addition to myself, by Nordau and Alex Marmorek. The 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 811 

conference is to remain absolutely confidential. Secrecy as to its 
substance will be stipulated in a sworn protocol. 


March <9 

Alex Marmorek tells me about a remark made by Bulow 
which Nordau heard from lluhn, the Berlin correspondent of 
the Kolnische Zeitung. 

Huhn asked Bulow what he, and also his "gracious lord and 
master," thought of the Zionist movement. To which Bulow is 
aid to have replied: 

"Our gracious lord and master, as you know, quickly becomes 
ablaze for a cause. So it was in the present instance, too, and to 
such a degree that there was no arguing with him. But you also 
know that our gracious lord and master cools off again just as 
quickly. This time, too. Dr. Herzl made a very good impression 
on me, it is true, but I don't believe in the project. Those people 
have no money. The rich Jews won’t have any part of it. And 
with the crummy Polish Jews nothing can be done.” • 

That was how I had construed Billow’s attitude long before 
1 heard this story. 

I had guessed this view, as is proved by my last letter to Bulow. 

March 19 . evening 

Thu rooming there arrived a telegram from the Colonial 
Trust in London which depressed me quite a bit: 

The result of the first day of the subscription was— -eight thou- 

**nd shares. 

In the evening there came a second wire which sounds fine 
kn may be only hokum after all. It reads: 

Despite hostile press, tremendous local demand, particularly 
from provinces, for subscription blanks.” 

Tremendous” certainly sounds wonderful! But demand for 

•hat/ 

Now Toward the rad at kb tprrrh Billow bpsrd Into (hr Berlin 


812 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

At present only for subscription blank*, not shares. It this a 
trick of little Heymann or really the beginning of a great suc- 
cess? 

I am now in one of those moods in which Faust is ready to 
make any deal with the devil. If anyone promised me the success 
of the subscription today, I would immediately sell him ten yean 
of my life for it. 

It is true, I wrote Wolff sohn yesterday that I had a presenti- 
ment the subscription would be a success — a sort of flaire de 
VartillcuT [artilleryman’s instinct] — and if I was mistaken in this, 
it would be the first, and a most serious, mistake I have made in 
the Zionist movement. But those infinitesimally measly 8000 
shares of this moming have made my expectations quite small. 

• • • 

This evening’s telegram again produced a small boom in my 
expectations. But I don't quite trust that telegram. 

Newlinski is leaving for Constantinople tomorrow. Since N.'t 
heart condition is quite serious, I am sending with him, as his 
attendant physician. Dr. Poborski of the Ivria. Naturally I had 
an inquiry made of his family doctor first as to whether the jour- 
ney could harm him. Reply: He can have a fatal attack any mo- 
ment, whether home in bed or on a train. I discussed the matter 
quite frankly with N’s wife. N. himself feels like going and do- 
ing something decisive for us, in the expectation, which truly 
shall not be deceptive, that we in turn will do something for him. 

But I am conscious of a grave responsibility in letting him 
depart. At present he is the only pervin who may be able to ar- 
range an audience for me with the Sultan. I can’t help but want 
him to go. 

I only hope that the journey will not harm him. 

Both of us were greatly moved when I went to see him today. 
He is afraid of the journey, but nevertheless has a fine, brave 
sense of duty toward what he has already received from us and 
what he still hopes for. Because of this I have begged his forgive- 
ness for many a thought I once had about him. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 813 


He told me today, among other things, that the Vienna am 
bassador. Mahmud Nedim Bey. was now at Constantinople and 
would probably not return, because he has fallen from favor. 
Quel sale pays [What a foul countryj. 

Mahmud Nedim has literally been starving here. He received 
no salary and lived on 'scarlet runners and beans’’ which he 
cooked himself. The Caliph’s ambassador! If all this were in a 
novel, people wouldn t believe it. 


On awakening this moming. I received the following wire 
from Poborski: 

"Newlimki died tuddenly. At wife’, requer, .end the neeevwry 

if pornble. Convey, ng remain. to Vienna tomorrow evening Dr! 
Poborski. Hotel Bristol.*’ 

h was a great, unpleasant surprise with a whole vista of fur- 
(her troubles. 

I wired back: 

; M«nr de Newlituki. Hotel Brinol. Pera. Cormaminople. 
“reply rhalen Mourning with you with all my hean I re- 
“ill to you and your children a iatthlul friend, ready to help, 
ror when we meet Sendtng thouvand (rant. 10 Poborvli 

I hen | had,,, leave for the rynagogue on Leopoldgawe where 

c, ..a •" ' lr con * TC K>iion had invited me for today. They 
by calling me up to the Torah. 

n 1 hH ° n thc Ho,y of Ho, “* and cantor 

* Poor N , OUl lHr beaul, * uI ch ™“. * could only think 
"wuh , • IIUkl wht * *• now stretched out in the Hotel Bristol 
v,c * °vrr ‘he Golden Horn." 

ttnd f n ^ rU °l %ly ' m,ruc,ct * Gscar Marmorek to wire the thou- 
^ ,rano «o Poborski. 

to term* ” ,J,C * mcf al my house. We had to come 

1 c quite difficult situation. Apart from the emo- 

•Trs-lwo, . Sou Hml 


^ Hebrew imn muthtbed 


814 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

tional shock, we also had to solve the financial problem we were 
now faced with. The A C. has to meet the heaviest demands, and 
the inflow of shekels at present equals zero. Three thousand 
guilders had already been expended on N'ewl inski’s journey. 
Now the additional expense of conveying the remains back, the 
presumable claims of the widow, etc. Great worries, especially 
now when the Bank campaign is exhausting all our resources 
and imposing enormous sacrifices on each of us. As it is. a beg- 
ging-circular was sent out during the last few days. Again I had 
to "set a good example" and part with 500 guilders. 

The gentlemen this afternoon believed the transportation of 
the body would cost several thousand francs. To meet this outlay 
it was decided, after much having it back and forth, to raise a 
loan of 5000 guilders. I declared that I could not give any more 
money, because I do not ask for repayment and do not get it 
either. 

So Marmorek is to try to borrow this money on the basis of the 
shekels offered as security by the A.C., from my brother-in-law 
Nasrhauer; and Dr. Kahn, from one of his relatives. 

• • • 

Newlinski's death is a terribly hard blow to me. Although he 
had one foot in the gTave his widow will hold me responsible for 
the journey, despite all the precautions I took. I had made an 
inquiry of his family doctor, through Poborski, as to whether he 
might go without harm to his health. The answer was that he 
could die at any moment in his own room. And yet — and yet! 

But Newlinski’s death is a great loss to our movement as well. 
He had the best connections at Constantinople as well as at 
Rome. At this time, something virtually irreplaceable. 

With him there disappears from the novel of the Zionist move- 
ment one of its most remarkable characters. He was a grand 
seigneur dichu [fallen aristocrat], likeable despite many a ques- 
tionable quality, and truly charming in manner. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 815 

April 3. 

A miserable night. Couldn’t get Newl inski out of my mind. 
I racked my brain how much it had been my faulL Should I 
have kept him from uking the trip? He wanted to go somewhere 
south. The reason he preferred going to Constantinople was that 
this trip didn’t cost him anything, provided him with a medical 
attendant gTatis, and promised the possibility of greater results. 
For 14 yean, since his first attack, he had been a doomed man. 
Did the journey cost him months, weeks, days, or hours of his 
life? 

I told him often enough that he needn’t go if he didn’t want 
to. I let him keep the tooo guilders for the Rome journey with- 
out ever reminding him of it with so much as a look. 

Should I have held him back? 


_ m April 3 

The Bank is also a great worry. 

Heymann, the only director who lives in London, holds meet- 
ing* of the Board of Directors with Caster and Bentwich. who 
are only deputies of deputies of the Council, and makes basic 
decisions. 

I will wait until the subscription is over and then put things 

in order. 

But while the gentlemen are in command, they push the prob- 
kin* of fund raising for the preliminary work onto my shoulders. 

e guarantee fund is exhausted: I think it has been misman- 
aged. Now Heymann needs, as he writes me. £600-1000 more. 

The envelopes having been switched by mistake, today I re- 
^^ed a letter from Wolffsohn to Kann. 

In it Wolffsohn writes that the subscription payments should 
used to defray expenses I am protesting against this today in 

* n,fT *° Wolffsohn and in another to Heymann, Caster, and 

Bent with 

I don t like Wolffsohn’s proposal. In any event. I shall keep a 
in the future. 


816 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF rHEODOR HERZL 

April 4 

This morning’s mail brought me poor Newlinski’s last letter: 

Hotel Bristol, Pera. A P nl *» ,8 99 

My very dear Friend: 

We arrived here safely. I stood the journey well and am pleased 
about it. I have just returned from my first visit to Yildiz Kiosk; 
I was very agreeably received and told to come again on / uesda y 
afternoon. 

Dr. Poborski is a nice fellow. My best thanks for everything, 
and many regards from 

Yours sincerely, 

M. de Newlinski. 

The weather is cool. 


• • • 

To the Turkish chargi d’affaires, Resmy Bey: 

Your Excellency:* 

Day before yesterday I received the sad new's of the sudden 
death, at Constantinople, of M. de Newlinski. Your Excellency 
will probably have been informed of it by yesterday's jupers. 

By this morning’s mail I have just received the last letteT of 
this sincerely mourned friend. He writes me that immediately 
upon his arrival he went to Yildiz Kiosk where he was given the 
best imaginable reception, and His Majesty set Tuesday — today, 
alas — for receiving him. 

One of the best and most devoted friends of Turkey has just 
gone. He was also an outstanding friend to our cause. I should 
like to have the honor to discuss with you one of these days the 
situation caused by this grievous death of a mutual friend. 

I remain. Your Excellency, 

Respectfully yours. 
Dr. Th. H. 

• The leiier u in French in ihe original. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 817 

April 7 

The Newlinski case is singularly distressing and dramatic. The 
man was never presentable, and those who made use of him — 
princes and governments — always took care to conceal their re- 
lations with him. He was every inch the classic example of the 
“secret agent.” Now his corpse lies across our path, and some 
people seem quite inclined to charge all of his dubious under- 
takings to our account. Fortunately, our account, even though 
we are not producing it, is clear, and my own conscience espe- 
cially is at ease. 

1 never had any other relation to him but the acceptance of 
his intervention with the Sultan when it was offered to me. 

He cost me a good deal of money, also drew a subvention from 
the Committee. I don’t know to this day whether he did anything 
for us with the Sultan, or if he was even in a position to do any- 
thing. He never furnished any proof of it, if I except the fact 
that he introduced me to various Turkish dignitaries. Perhaps 
he merely played me up to them as an editor of the Seue Freie 
Prase. It is a secret he has taken with him to the grave. 

Still, even as regards my shekel-piyen my conscience is dear 
for having recommended that the A.C. pay him a subsidy. Even 
though he may not have been able to be of use, he could have 
<fone us a frightful amount of harm. Once or twice he had 
hinted as much, and I hastened to make him into a friend before 
he could become an exton ioner. With a single paragraph in his 
Correspondence de PEst he could have made us out to be dan- 
gerous enemies of Turkey, or, at best, as blagueurs sans i mpor- 
l * nce [inconsequential wind-bags]. 

• • • 

For the past few days, his death which “occurred in the service 
°f Zionism ’ has been the talk of the town here in \ lenna. A few 
People have asked me reproachfully why I made him take the 
I gruffly sent them about their business. In truth I have 
00 Qu * to reproach myself with carelessness, because 1 had con- 



818 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 
suited his family doctor as to whether he might go, and he had 
said yes. 

Despite my formal blamelessness and although his doomed liie 
would hardly have lasted even a matter of weeks longer, the case 
is quite agonizing to me. Did I do enough to dissuade him from 
the trip? This is how 1 search my soul. 

I never dunned him for the traveling money which he had had 
since October; I never pressed him to go; I reassured him when 
he lamented that he would not be able to use it; I told him that 
he should go to Constantinople only if he wanted to go some 
where south anyway. I am delivering quite tragic monologues to 
myself. 

This evening his wife comes back. 

The body is on the same train. I must go and meet her at the 
station, which is quite a hard task. Perhaps she will reproach 
me. If so, what shall I, what can I, reply? Another bitter occasion 
will be the funeral. It will require a gTeat deal of fortitude, under 
the eyes of the mourners. II faut passer par id (It is necessary to 
go there]. 


• • • 


The day before yesterday Newlinski's family doctor published 
the following declaration in the Neue Freie Frene: 

M. de Newlinski. 


To the Editors. 

In one of yesterday’s Monday papers, the death of M. de 
Newlinski was presented as one that had taken place under mys- 
terious circumstances. As the long time physician of the deceased, 
may I be permitted to point out that he had for a number 
yean been suffering from a severe heart condition (aneurysm 
the aorta). Last winter he had repeated attacks of extreme car- 
diac weakness, and consequently his sudden death was apparently 
caused by a similar attack which brought about cardiac paralyse 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 819 

With the respectful request to publish this letter in your es- 
teemed journal, I remain 

Yours, 

Dr. Ludwig Frey 

Vienna. April 4, 1899. 


April 7 

Yesterday Alex Marmorek told me, among other things, about 
a discovery of his which is still a strict secret; I am the only one 
be has told about it besides his family. He believes he has found 
a remedy for tuberculosis. If this is true, it is something colossal 
—this much is clear. He says that his experiments on animals 
hate been successful. Now he intends to experiment on human 
beings But first he will, and must, disclose it to Duclaux, the 
head of the Pasteur Institute. For his streptococcus serum he has 
received no financial remuneration whatever. Before he turns 
over the T.B. medicine, he wants to make sure of getting 50% 
of the profit the Pasteur Institute will make. He thinks this will 
amount to millions each year; and he wants to be rich so that he 
can do something for Zionism. 

Now. it is possible that the Pasteur Institute will refuse 
him the 50%. In that event he intends to leave and offer the 
whole thing to Lord Lister for the Jenner Institute in Izmdon. 
I. however, advised him to submit it to the German Kaiser. .As 
soon as Duclaux has refused. Alex will call me to a meeting on 
way* at which we shall discuss the further details, for nat- 
urally I want to utilize the moral effect of this achievement for 
•he benefit of Zionism. 

Since there is the possibility that the French, whether they re- 
K*i him or accept him. can later reproach him with having acted 
001 *• * disinterested scientist but as a commerfant juif [Jewish 
« ***» *). I advised him to accompany his verbal disclosure to 
Duclaux with a written one as well, saying that the reason he 
Winu lo participate in the profits is that the rich Jews are not 

* >» tacit* in (hr original 


820 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HER2L 
doing anything for our people and that he wants funds he can 
use for the good cause. 




April 8 

Ricn n’ arrive hi com me on le craint, ni comtne on I espere 
[Nothing happens as one fears, nor as one hopes]. 

This time, ni comme on le craint [the former]. 

A bit uneasy I drove to the station yesterday evening, to meet 
Mme. de Newlinski and the coffin. 

An odd assortment of people at the station. Oscar Marmorek 
had come with me. Some poor relations were already there. Then 
came Resmy Bey, the I urkish charge d affaires; further, a fet* 
friends of the family and the family lawyer, the latter in a spar- 
kling mood and with many anecdotes to tell. 

A communis opinio [consensus of opinion] crystallized: it was 
all the fault of the family doctor who had attended Newlinski 
and had consented to the journey. (As a matter of fact, this is 
my real opinion, too.) But who knows? If I had not been dili- 
gently doing my duty, perhaps my absence would have caused 
them to call me the guilty party. 

The lawyer expressed his confidence to me that the Zionists 
would do something for the children, since N. had made the tnp 
on our behalf. 

The train was late. All sorts of stories were told, including the 
one about an attempt to blackmail the Sultan, which had been 
falsely hung on Newlinski, whereas the blackmailers — according 
to Resmy Bey — were a certain Graf and his bailleur du jondt 
[silent partner] Eisner. 

The lawyer told how he had introduced Eisner to Nuri Bey. 
It was at a stag supper-party with dames nues [nude women] 
that the Turkish State Secretary made the acquaintance of 
Eisner von Eisenhof. 

During the hang-over they are supposed to have got together 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 821 

on a plot which was directed against Ambassador Mahmud 
Nedim and. it seems, netted the latter the Sultan’s disfavor. 

The train came in. Mme. de Newlinski got off, tottering and 
lobbing, and fell around everybody's neck, including mine. She 
begged me to come to the house, after the hearse had been 
driven to the Karlskirche. 

So I drove from the station to her apartment. Several friends 
of the family were assembled there, among them the family doc- 
tor who was not at all depressed. There was also a big stock-gam- 
bler who had made many hundreds of thousands, perhaps mil- 
lions, out of Newlinski’s tips. 

I told the woman that she could always count on me as a (rood 

friend. 

The children were in quite good spirits and laughed a lot. 

I soon took my leave. The big speculator left with me and 
told me he hoped that "the powerful Zionist group in whose 
service N. died” would "do something for the children." This is 
pmiing the emotional buck. Each shifts it on to the next man. 
Luckily for the children, I at least shall not leave them in the 
lurch. 

Poborski told me about Newlinski's last hours. He had been 
at Yildiz, to be sure, but had not spoken with the Sultan, as his 
last letter suggested. Poborski also told me about the shameful 
l^rngvon afteT N’s death: how the doctors and the clergyman 
to squeeze every penny they could out of the embalming 
the consecration rites. But also that Artin Pasha had told fat 
Danusso that I would soon be called to Constantinople. Vede- 
"mo [Wait and see]? 


April 8 

Thu morning the first exton ion er called on me. 

At ten o'clock a gentleman sent his card in to me. "Josef Graf, 
Mitor of Information Wien,” it said on it. 

The blackmailer, of whom Resmy Bey had spoken yesterday, 
admitted him. A shabby, elderly man entered. He had a 
Pronounced nervous blink 


822 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

voice. Everybody in Vienna, he said, was talking about how 
Ncwlinski had gone to see the Sultan, on instructions from us. 
“with an entourage like an ambassador s." If this was conrect. 
he had some interesting news for me. I gave him an evasive an- 
swer, but he made me his “disclosures" anyway. 

A certain Bernhard Stem, former Constantinople correspond- 
ent of the Neue Freie Prase, had received from an opponent of 
the Zionist movement, Herr Richard Rappaport (of the group 
“Korah." which was mentioned on an earlier occasion) instruc- 
tions and funds to go to Constantinople and work against the 
Zionists. He. Graf, had taken Stem in some time ago. when the 
latter was hard up. Recently Stem had come to him and shown 
him four thousand guilders which he had received to work 
against us at Yildiz as an "emissary." It was true, Graf said, that 
he himself was an opponent of Zionism, but it would be a shame 
if Jews did not stick together. Stem was scheduled to leave for 
Constantinople on the Orient Express on Monday, but on Sun- 
day (tomorrow) he would come to sec him once more. Why 
didn’t I use this information in any way I thought appropriate. 
It was Rappaport’s aim, he said, to demonstrate, by frustrating 
the Zionist movement, that only his Jewish People s Party was 
on the right track. 

I replied that one opponent more or less did not matter to us. 
Our position was simply to reward the people who sened us and 
brought us proof of the services rendered. We couldn't do any- 
thing else. My personal point of view, however, was not that of 
a politician. I would never join the Jewish People's Party, be- 
cause I was not interested in political posts or the like. I have 
expressed my views on the Jewish Question; they seem to have 
found the approval of many. If these people turned away from 
me again, my activity would simply be at an end. But what our 
aims are we say out loud at the Congress and in our newspapers. 
We do not travel by secret paths. 

Then I brought the conversation onto general things and dis- 
missed the scoundrel. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 82S 

In the afternoon I called on Mme. de Ncwlinski and discussed 
money matters with her. The widow is composed, very clear- 
headed and covetous. I promised her that, to begin with, we 
would continue to pay her the subsidy drawn by her husband 
(too guilders a month) until the next Congress, with the proviso 
that she carry on the Correspondence de I’Est. 

Then I will try at the Congress to bring about an arrangement 
favorable to her. 

For it is to our interest that the Correspondence does not fall 
into the hands of blackmailers. 

• • • 

In the evening I convened the A.C. at my place, told the gen- 
tlemen everything, and they exonerated me. It was also decided 
that I should call Rappaport on the carpet tomorrow to find out 

whether Grafs tale was true. 

Either extortion has been attempted on us, or Rappaport is 
being swindled. Perhaps both. 

• • • 

An additional detail. Newl.’s widow informed roe, among 
other things, that the big-time speculator Zierer had told her 
before her departure that should her husband die in Constanti- 
nople, she ought to have him buried there, because the transpor- 
tation back to Vienna would be too expensive. 

And upon that note she departed. 

They all— even including, in this case, the doomed man, the 
Snot of the lot— calculated that his death on the journey would 
P** us, the Zionists, under perpetual obligation to his sur- 
vivors. He sold us his corpse, as it were. 

Sutely nothing remotely as strange as this occurs in novels. 

Actually, the only dupe in this sad affair is myself, who tailed 
10 *** through this scheme. 

”°wever, Ncwlinski himself showed courage and a father’s 
In my eyes, after his death, he looms head and shoul- 


824 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

ders above the whole riff-raff; to get mixed up with this rotten 
bunch was the tragic blunder of his life. 


April 10 

Newlinski's funeral yesterday. First class. But many were ab- 
sent from the Karlskirchc who, while he lived, had caroused and 
gone on the town and been involved in all sorts of secret intrigues 
with him. 

Jews were in the majority. Wonder what most of them thought 
of all this pageantry? 

At the church-door most of the people who had stayed till then 
drifted away. 

I spoke to Resmy Bey and made an appointment for today. 

I drove to the cemetery in company with the journalist Ron- 
ried. On the way out his conversation was a funeral march. We 
were driving slowly, for the undertaker's staff was walking along- 
side the hearse with torches. One of them, at the rear, bore the 
departed's decorations on a red cushion. Outriders, etc. 

Out at the cemetery, the ceremony was brief. 

Poborski took me aside: the widow counted on our defraying 
the funeral expenses, at least half of them. 

Kozmian said to me: "The poor fellow had only another 
month at the most to live, anyway." 

On the way back, Ronried lit a cigarette and said with an air 
of consolation: "One more who’s got it over with." And he blew 
the lively tunes of a military band returning home. 

• • • 

Then I went to sec Rappaport about the Graf-Stern black- 
mail affair. Following my custom, I took the bull by the horns. 
Rappaport gave me his word of honor that Stem had been as- 
signed no political mission." He was only supposed to go to 
Constantinople as a representative of the Extrapost, in order to 
make connections with the aid of which the Extrapost —a little- 
read Monday paper — would obtain influence in Balkan circles. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 825 

I explained to him that the whole business amounted to black- 
mail and that he was being duped. This poor rich young man, 
however, trusts the pack of parasites surrounding him more than 
he does an honest adviser. I think that right afterwards he went 
to those scoundrels, in order to have them tell him fresh lies and 
to believe in them. 

I placed myself at his disposal in case he wanted to unmask 

Stem. 




Yesterday I went to see Resmy Bey. the Turkish charge d'af 
fares. He spoke frankly about conditions in Constantinople. 
When I told him that I was able to catch the blackmailers Graf 
and Stem and show them up publicly, he told me with typically 
Turkish shoulder-shrugging and equanimity: "That won’t do 
these two any harm in Constantinople." 

He said further that I should win over either Nuri Bey or, 
preferably, Tahsim Bey. The reigning favorite now is Tahsim 
Bey. Lutfy Bey, the interpreter of dreams, was no good for our 
purposes. Lutfy *s specialty was decorations and concessions. For 
politic al matters Tahsim was the best. 

I also told Resmy that I was having the Correspondance de 
tEst continue through a subvention I was giving to Mme. New- 
Itnski and was keeping it at the disposal of the Turkish govern* 
^ c °urse, quite free of charge el sans arriere-pensee [and 
without any ulterior motive]. It was to become a serious and 
decent paper. 

He thanked me, 

finally spoke about Nuri and Tahsim. I said that perhaps 
® ^em ought to be won over — it y aurait pour tout le 
^tonde [there would be something for everybody]. He gave a 
ly smile, but said Tahsim would not like the idea of Nuri’s 
Kwnething too. 


826 THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 

Then I called on Mme. de Newlinski and went over her hus- 
band's books with her. The assets even less than I had anticipated. 
The whole Correspondence seems to have been a swindle. A 
dozen subscribers, el tout finissait par du chantage [and it all 
ended in blackmail]. Roughly the same sort of impression as 
when one uncovers a counterfeiters press in a cellar. 

And yet the man was useful to us. His greatest service was to 
teach me not to have any respect for pashas. 

April ii, evening 

I have just received a telegTam from Ixindon giving the sub- 
scriptions up to now as 228,000 shares. I could not beliese ray 
eyes and wired back whether it was really two hundred and 
twenty-eight thousand with down-payments. If so, the subscrip- 
tion is a success, for in the remaining 18 days we are sure to raise 
an equal amount. 

It would be a success such as I myself did not dare to hope for. 

April ij 

Those 228,000 turned out to be a bubble .* In reply to my 
inquiry there came a correction with different figures. I sent a 
sharp telegram criticizing this way of doing things. (Hcymann's?) 
Fortunately I didn’t fall for it and didn't put it in the Welt. 

So the question of the subscription's success remains open. 

Yesterday afternoon Resmy Bey came to see me. After a few 
words of mourning Newlinski he came out with his true view: 
“Notre pauvre ami avail set defauts [Our poor friend had his 
faults]. He was a dubious individual." The dead ride fast.** 

He very much likes the idea of my supervising and running the 
Correspondence. We parted friends. 

* In FngUih in the original. 

•• Translator*! Not*: Die Toten rriten 1 thntll, a line from C. A. Mrg*r » «** 
braird ballad Ltnore. 


THE COMPLETE DIARIES OF THEODOR HERZL 827 

April 13 

The Graf-Stern blackmail affair has now been cleared up. I 
informed Bergmann and Stem. The latter went to see Graf with 
Dr. Wemer. Graf declared after the greeting that he didn't know 
Dr. Herzl at all. He claims never to have seen me! 

With this the case is settled. 

April 14 

We are now undoubtedly in a state of being boycotted by the 
big bankers, a state that Seligmann predicted to me last October 
in London. If the subscription is a success, we shall later boy- 
cott them. 

April 17 

The following joke is making the rounds in Vienna now. The 
German Kaiser is supposed to have said to me: "Zionism is a 
splendid idea; the only thing is, it can't be carried out with Jews." 

April ti 

The incompetence of the I>ondon Bank Office exceeds all 
bounds. Or is it disinclination, laziness? Today, during the last 
week of the subscription, they give me the subscription agencies 
for Russia, to put in the issue of the Welt that appeared yester- 

— which means, too late. The Rumanian ones are still miss- 
ing! 

Tomorrow I go to Cologne for discussions about the Bank. I 
would have wanted to enter in this Book Six as an important 

chapter heading whether or not the subscription has been a suc- 
cess. 

This way the Book ends with a big